Throwing Stones
by Purple Panda Flurp
Summary: It's been two years since Steven lost his title as Champion. Since then his life and humanity have crumbled as the chains of the Devon Corporation have gotten tighter. Can the man of stone be put back together? Hoennchampionshipping
1. Boy Who Had Everything and Nothing

Did you miss me?

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><p>Chapter One: The Boy Who Had Everything and Nothing at the Same Time<p>

Snob.

Trust fund baby.

Fat cat.

Steven threw a dart for every insult that had been thrown at him that week, tossing a small piece of his anger away with each one.

The billiards room was dark. It had become evening without his noticing. He didn't care. Day or night, he'd practiced enough with his darts that he was a perfect shot, though he didn't care much about that either at that moment.

He took another swig of whiskey from a bottle he'd taken from his father's liquor cabinet. His father's. Everything was his father's.

He threw another dart.

Granted, Steven had been able to lead a more than comfortable life with the money made by his father's- he threw another dart- company the Devon Corporation, but these advantages came with a heavy price.

Steven sighed, wincing that the burn from another sip from the tall bottle and stared at the wall. He couldn't quite make out all of the darts using only the moonlight as his guide, but their silhouettes were in a clump around the bull's eye. That is, all but one, the last one, that had hit the wall. He'd become too drunk to throw straight.

He cursed and thought about checking the time. Did he dare? He didn't want to, but he knew it was a necessary evil at this point. He knew it was late. Shaking and slapping himself into what he hoped would be a greater consciousness, he peered at his wrist. It was fifteen minutes until nine.

Blast! He was almost late for his nine o'clock appointment! He hated these meetings, but they weren't an option. Besides, Selenium, or worse his father would come and try to find him if he was late and find that he was drinking again and that would not go well. The only thing to do was to go to the meeting room and wait for the incoming tornado that was Selenium.

Like many of the other rooms, the conference room was all dark wood with many windows draped in mulberry silk. Steven sat in a tall burgundy and gold brocade chair and drummed the tips of his fingers on the large, round table. Every so often the large steel cuffs from his work suit (the one he was made to wear in all official meetings and other goings-on) would hit the table with a clink.

8:58.

8:59.

9:00 exactly and Selenium burst through the door with briefcase in hand. She was never early and never late.

Her tall, tanned, slim figure and burgundy dress went nicely with the room, Steven thought. But he also thought she should leave him alone for all eternity, so there were contrasting ideas, though the latter was the most appealing to him.

"Mr. Stone you were twenty-one years old as of October sixth and a full-blown adult..." she started.

Oh joy.

He cut in and out of her lecture, half listening, a quarter thinking about what he was going to have for dinner, and a quarter wondering if he'd be able to hold his lunch until the end of the meeting. He gave perfunctory one or two worded answers to assure her that he was still listening every once and awhile in between.

"You're in charge while your father is gone on the business trip to Petalburg, you know!"

"Of course." Please stop speaking.

"If you want to go back to your hovel in Mossdeep you're going to have to behave... I don't even understand why you like that place at all!"

"I will." Is it over yet?

"You're the heir to the Devon throne, so to speak, so you need to start acting like it!"

"Okay." Kill me.

"When are you going to fire that maid of yours? She's been stealing from you for months!" At this, she reached over the table and snapped in Steven's face. "Hello? Mr. Stone, you must take this seriously!"

The snapping was much too loud for his already throbbing headache from a mixture of too much alcohol and Selenium's grating voice. "Morgan doesn't take more than a hundred dollars worth of things a week. Besides, she's a good maid and I wouldn't know where to get a better one," he said irritably.

She puffed, fixing her already immaculately done almond brown hair. "Do you even know what your father is doing in Petalburg?"

"Do I look like I care in the slightest?"

Selenium looked greatly offended, her mouth hanging open, speechless. This slowly transformed into a seething anger. Her mouth snapped closed and her jaw clenched. "Mr. Stone- Wait." She sniffed the air. "Steven Stone! Are you drunk again?"

"Woo hoo, someone's perceptive. Look Selenium, let's just reschedule this whole this whole thing, alright?" He got up to leave a little wobbly.

"No, Mr. Stone, we cannot. We will sit down and talk about these issues or I will tell your father about your," she snorted in disgust," alcoholic relapse and you will get who knows how long of a suspension from rock collecting."

Steven drummed his fingers on the table once and cracked his neck. "Silph and Devon will be having a meeting to discuss copyright infringements later next week, Doctor Paisley and I will speak about the Running Shoes 2.0 tomorrow morning when I go down to the lab for my yearly check-up, you will make the arrangements for Morgan's twenty-day eviction notice and the moving company to help her with her things, you will absolutely not schedule me another appointment with Briannica because I know that's what you were thinking, I will make arrangements for the new maid that was implied that father is bringing from Petalburg though that is sort of a long way to go for only a maid, and yes I will take father's pets for a walk. Any questions?" He never broke his steely gaze into her deep black eyes once, not even to blink.

Selenium blinked. "Yes, sir. I will take care of everything. Except maybe Briannica. I think it would do you well to see her."

"It would not." He sauntered toward the door.

She made a sort of irritated growling noise, but dropped the anger from her tone. "One more thing, Mr. Stone."

He was close to the doorway now. He spun, clasped his hands together under his chin, and blinked twice, putting on a perfect angel smile. "Yes, Selenium dearest?" his voice practically dripped with sarcasm.

She narrowed her eyes. "She's not a maid."

"Then get me one." And with that he spun back, waltzed to the doorway, barfed into the wastebasket, and marched out.

Steven did not feel well enough nor did he have the energy to eat dinner, so he decided it was best to just go to bed.

Steven's room was, to say the least, lovely. His calamander wood king sized four poster bed stood draped in fine deep violet silk. At the end of the room there was a set of tall, glass double doors that led to a balcony filled with flowers- mostly sweet violets (his mother's favorite)- that the maid watered everyday with a little, green, slightly rusted watering can.

On one side of the doors was an armoire with mermaids carved in it. On the other side was a gigantic display cabinet that kept his most precious stones he'd found along his journeys.

He would have traded every last one to be a real person with a real life.

Steven walked to the calamander wood desk beside his bed pulling off his purple and black shoes as he went. He pulled open an intricately handled drawer and took a little blue velvet box out of it. Inside it was his mother's wedding ring of Unovan crystallized moonblossom dew. His mother would not have been proud of how he acted today. He felt really... well, bad for how he treated Selenium. Though in his defense she could be nicer and less nagging, but that was really no way to treat a person who was only trying to help him. He wasn't really angry with Selenium, anyways. He was angry with the Devon Corporation for taking his childhood, his father, and his future away from him.

Selenium would be gone by now, so it was too late to apologize. It wasn't like she'd talk to him anyway. He'd just have to do it during the next meeting, maybe get her something nice. No, he'd find her a nice stone. That was it. Something he hadn't bought, but had worked for.

He flung himself onto his bed. He tried so hard to be a good person to everyone that he didn't know and sometimes didn't even like that he forgot his own personal adviser, someone who was actually trying to help him.

"Tomorrow will be better," he said to himself. "Tomorrow will be better." He clutched the ring box close to his heart and drifted into sleep.


	2. A Not So Bad Aftermath

Hey everyone! Sorry for the short introduction last time. The name's Flurp and it's been awhile since I last posted anything, but I'm really excited for this story! If you guys have any suggestions or comments of any kind, feel free to PM or review. I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can, but don't get too mad if I don't respond right away. I'm a busy girl. Also, pancakes.

Anyway, disclaimer time. I don't own anything except the certain order in which I put these words of the English language. But I don't own the words either I just sort of borrowed them.

So without further ado, I present to you Throwing Stones: Chapter Two!

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><p>Chapter Two: A Not So Bad Aftermath<p>

Steven awakened to a white hot headache and a sharp pain in his left leg. He let out a long groan, rubbing his eyes. He tried to open them but immediately cringed at the sunlight peeking between his fingers.

"Sir."

Knowing not what else to do, Steven just sort of sat there with his hands over his eyes. He recognized the voice as butler Martinov. "Good morning, Martinov," he said, hands still over his eyes. He felt rather silly, but couldn't bring himself to take them off.

"Good morning to you, Mr. Stone. I was instructed to awaken you thirty minutes before your meeting with Doctor Paisley."

_Oh, fuck. _"Ah, thank you Martinov. Say, will you do me a favor?"

"Why, yes, sir. That's what I'm here for." He seemed a little caught off-guard by the question.

"Will you close all of my curtains, please?" He was still getting used to having servants again. It had been about a week since he'd been forced to return to the Stone Mansion in Rustboro Hills. After his recent... _incident_, his father had torn him away from solitary life and insisted he return to Rustboro Hills Finishing School to re-learn how to act "like a future heir to an honorable business". He was just fine at being proper. Having a bit too much to drink and getting into one tiny scrap over matters of honor does not make one any less classy.

"Yes, sir. Is that all?" The room began to darken with each _swoosh_ of curtains falling.

"Can you also ask Marion to pour me an extra tall glass of Moomoo milk? And that's all."

"I can, sir."

Steven took his hands off his eyes slowly and began the process of getting used to the little light left in the room. He had them open just enough to watch Martinov's flawless, shiny, black leather shoes leave the room. "Thank you," he called after him.

"My pleasure, sir," he responded.

It took a few moments, but Steven finally got to the point to where he could look around the room without too much trouble. The clock on the wall told him he had less than twenty-five minutes left to make himself look presentable.

"Thirty minutes..." he mumbled to himself. "Who gives a person only thirty minutes? Who even set the alarm in the first place?" He yawned wide and tried to get up, but found his father's new Aron keeping him from budging. He was both annoyed and... somewhat delighted. There had always been a soft spot in his heart for steel Pokemon. That's why he became a predominantly steel-type trainer.

"Aron," he said softly. The Pokemon immediately opened it's bright blue eyes and hopped over to him, wagging it's behind and hopping around. Steven smiled and patted him on his head.

It was clear to Steven after trying once more to leave the bed that he had lost all feeling to his left leg below the knee. But he didn't have time to wait for it to come back.

And so, ever so (un)gracefully, Steven hopped with his dead leg over to his full length mirror, deciding that his meeting with the doctor was more important at the moment. His hair was a mess which was not unusual and he was still in his meeting suit, which would be fine to wear out if not for the wrinkles and the god-awful smell. It had a few splotches from last night's not-so-friendly visit with Mr. Vomit Bucket, which he at that moment realized was no longer in the room. Martinov must have taken it out, he thought.

Steven stripped himself of his clothes with a little more hassle than usual and hobbled to the armoire to pick out a new suit. It seemed his brain and his body were still having a bit of trouble staying in sync, and the just-awakening-but-still-mostly-dead leg didn't help anything.

"Good morning, ladies," he said to the mermaids as he opened the large doors and took the first thing he found (which was quite unusual as he always took a long time deciding what to wear). When he was a child he liked to pretend the mermaids watched over him while he slept to make sure no harm would come over him. The Empoleon mermaid was secretly his favorite, but he gave them all equal attention.

He looked in the mirror once he was done. He actually looked quite dashing, save for the sunken eyes. It was a deep violet accented silver cuffed suit, one he hadn't worn in years, but he didn't much care about the slightly musty smell at that moment. He looked damn good, and paired with that black tie he might as well have been going to a presidents' corporate assembly.

The clock said twelve minutes to go. Steven rushed to the bathroom and poured himself some mouth wash. He swished it around while quickly combing his hair, a rare occasion, but he looked too good to pass it up.

He spat, washed his face with a soft white towel with the letter 'S' on it, and just barely sprayed a bit of cologne on. A bit of bluish-white stubble was forming on his chin, but it would have to slide this time. Over all, he felt actually quite good about today.

He just cracked the door open to leave when a blinding light knocked him back into reality. He needed something for that. He needed...

Aha! With a swift movement Steven was to his armoire, digging through the bottom drawer until he found them.

Aron danced around his feet. His words from last night echoed in his mind: _I'll take father's pets for a walk. _Why not kill two birds with one stone?

Steven donned his aviator sunglasses and called the Aron to him, taking off down the long hallway. His father's room was to his opposite. He flung open the ornate doors, reached into the chest in the center of the room, grabbed the pokeball from where it sat comfortably in its periwinkle silk nest.

It was now seven minutes until he needed to be at the lab. Drastic measures had to be taken.

When Steven reached the staircase he slid down the beam like he was seven years old again, but this time his father wasn't around to scold him when he got to the bottom and lecture him on proper manners.

The double doors slammed open as Steven burst through them. Four minutes. It was a long shot but he reached into his pocket. This was the same suit he was wearing when he first journeyed with... well, that was a long time ago.

As luck would have it, the eon flute was still in his pocket. Now he remembered why he hadn't worn this suit in such a long time. It reminded him of her.

He shook it off. Now was not the time. He brought the metal to his lips and played. He was a bit rusty, but Latias didn't care. She was there in seconds. The magnificent creature landed beside him and he leaned down to pick up Aron, struggling to heave her onto her mighty back. Once he secured him (or her, Steven wasn't quite sure) he told her, "To Devon Labs," and she soared high above and away from the mansion.


	3. the Good, the Bad, and the Astronomer

Hey again! Does anyone else love the term "hot off the presses"? Because personally, it makes me feel like new, warm books that have been long awaited. It's like hot chocolate on a winter day for me. ^-^ Well, anyway, that's what I've got: a brand new chapter for you all hot off the presses!

Huge thanks to everyone who's read, followed, and favorited and especially to loli-belle and Setsuna (SmilingArtist) for the kind and wonderful reviews. It always makes my day to see people who like my stories!

Anyway, I'll stop talking. Enjoy!

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><p>Chapter Three: the Good, the Bad, and the Astronomer<p>

Latias dropped him off with two minutes to spare. "Thank you!" he called as she soared away. She roared in response, and soon the beautiful creature was over the mountains and out of his sight.

Steven ran a quick comb through his hair and returned it to his pocket, putting on his best cool face and demeanor. He felt so confident he felt he could do anything. All thoughts of May were immediately whisked away as if Latias had taken them with her.

He strolled through the doors of the lab with hands in pockets and little Aron merrily trailing behind him. Doctor Paisley was at the end of the room, frantic as usual, puffy hair bouncing as he hopped from desk to desk, purple pen in one hand and coffee mug in the other. "The good doctor!" Steven said happily.

Paisley jumped and turned to him. "Oh, it's you. You sound so much like your father these days I almost didn't recognize it was you, Mr. Stone. Only you're a bit more of a bass than your father."

Steven smiled and thought of his days of being a choir tenor. He hadn't been in a choir in years, but he was pleased at the thought of singing a lower part. He'd always envied those who could. "How are the running shoes coming along, doctor?"

Steven's happiness must've been contagious because the head doctor returned his smile. "Doing marvelously, sir. Take a look here..." Paisley beckoned him over with his coffee mug and Steven obliged. On a perfectly round glass table sat a pair of bright red running shoes. They were high tops to support the ankle, as the original design suggested, but something about the heel looked a little different to him.

"I had an epiphany, sir," he started. "Running shoes 2.0 was a huge step- no pun intended- for Devon. It would be the fastest shoe on the market, nothing Silph could catch up with in years. But this idea that came to me well, it would revolutionize shoes forever. I call it the Jumping Shoe."

"The Jumping Shoe?" Ah, so that's what the heel was. A spring.

"Quite right. This shoe would help you be able to go quite literally where no man has gone before without the help of Pokemon or without traveling great distances."

"Great work!" Steven usually didn't really care about this sort of thing, but Paisley sure was happy about it. Plus, this new invention did come about under his authority and that would certainly give him points with his father and hopefully help him leave this place as soon as possible to continue work with his stones. "I fully approve! Continue work and we'll grant you the money you need to make this happen." Ugh, work speak. "If that's all, it was great seeing you. If you'll excuse me..."

"Ah, ah, ah, Mr. Stone. You know the rules. Yearly checkup time." And as if rehearsed, Dr. Seyten (yes, that was his real name) crawled from the depths of the underworld. Well, he probably crawled from the depths of the underworld this morning to go to work. Really he just came out of his office, but he had that certain demonic look in his dark eyes that sent shivers all the way down Steven.

"Mr. Stone," he said delightedly in his strange accent. "Right on time. If you are ready, please step inside. And... that one stays." He pointed at the Aron. It whimpered. If Paisley was the good doctor, that made Seyten the bad one.

_I will never be ready, _Steven thought, but it wasn't like he had a choice in the matter, much like everything else in his life. So he took a deep breath and stepped through the gates of hell.

The room smelled like a mixture of bleach and rubbing alcohol. "Change into." The doctor threw him a mint green dress. So much for his fancy suit.

After a while he reluctantly knocked on the door to let the devil back in, sat down on a sickly green leather chair and faced his peril.

"Glasses off," he commanded. Steven hesitantly obeyed. The room wasn't that bright luckily, but it was still painful.

The doctor checked his teeth first. "Brush them more often," he said. When Steven was home he sometimes brushed them three times a day, but there wasn't much he could do when he was rock climbing.

Next he did his vitals. "All healthy," he said. Steven's good mood was deteriorating with each test.

"Take a deep breath."

"Tell me if this hurts."

"Ow!"

"Okay."

"Kick."

_Scribble._

Test after test after test.

_Poke. _"Ow!" This man had to have taken pleasure in his work.

"Alcohol level in bloodstream is... unnaturally high."

_Gulp._

_Scribble._

More tests.

"Finish."

"Ugh- wait, really?" Steven's eyes glimmered with hope.

"Wait- I lie."

"Oh, f- OW!"

"Now done."

Steven breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Arceus."

Seyten chuckled low, which snapped Steven alert again and made the hairs on the back of his neck bristle. Seyten walked over and jabbed him in the arm. Steven's hand instinctively covered the stinging spot. "You are get a bit more muscle, Mr. Stone. Must be from rock looking for, yes?"

Shiver. "Yes, doctor. Now if you will excuse me, I'd like to get dressed."

"Right," he drug out for a little too long and left.

What a creep. Steven hurriedly pulled on his clothes and left without looking back.

He was almost to the door when something suddenly blocked his way and he stopped dead in his path. No, no no...

"Hey, Steven!"

Wait. He recognized that voice. Steve rubbed his eyes and redonned his sunglasses. Grey hair, round glasses, kind smile...

"Doctor Cozmo!" Steven was elated. Even living in Mossdeep City Steven rarely got to see Cozmo in person. It was usually just his grunts.

"Hey there, kiddo. Just coming by to drop off the recent lunar readings. It looks like there's a bit of extra activity and that's why I wanted to come here in person. I'll notify you if it turns out to be important, but really I'm just getting a second opinion."

"Oh, okay." Out of the corner of his eye he could see Seyten coming toward him and calling him. "Uh, sorry to cut this short, but I'm really late for a meeting, so I have to go." Steven started backing up

Cozmo chuckled. "Always so busy... But aren't we all? Well, you take care."

"Thanks, you too!" Steven pushed through the doors. Seyten was now yelling at him to stay put. He stopped. "Cozmo!"

The doctor turned around.

"Come visit more often." Steven smiled warmly. Cozmo returned it and went on. Seyten was now jogging.

Steven took off into a sprint and thought of the eon flute in his pocket. _Well, if it worked once it'll work again, _he thought and blew into it.

Aron was barking beside him and panting, going as fast as his tiny stub legs. "Arceus, Aron!" Steven wished so fervently that Aron was not one-hundred and thirty odd pounds. A glint came over the mountains. Latias had come back for him. He was so grateful, he was certain he would've been caught before long running from six-and-a-half feet tall Seyten on his trail, being only 5'9 himself. He always supposed he got his height from his mother's side since his father was barely 5'3.

The mighty roar echoed over Rustboro, but something about it was different, something about it was... deeper.

In an instant the creature was beside him. It was the same build as Latias, but it was not her. "Latios?!" This day was full of surprises. The eon flute would call whichever Pokemon was closest, either Latios or Latias. This meant that either Latias was hurt or... May was nearby.

Steven grabbed the Aron and flung it onto Latios's back, then hopped on him himself, just narrowly escaping Doctor Seytan. They lift with Seyten yelling after them. Steven couldn't help but snicker.

Now that that crisis was averted, there was another to be dealt with. "Latios..." he murmured, rubbing his head. "Will you take me home? And... where's your trainer?"

Latios grumbled, but he didn't look worried which made Steven's mind rest a little bit easier... but his heart? It was beating a mile a minute.


	4. A Brisk November

**PLEASE READ INTRO. IT'S ACTUALLY KINDA IMPORTANT THIS TIME.**

Hello, beauties! I apologize dearly for not posting an installment yesterday, but what I do have for you is a brand new chappy of 3,300 (or so) WORDS! YAY! For those of you who are my returning readers, I am **changing Steven's age** to 21 instead of 18 for reasons. For you newbies, you don't really notice the difference, so you're all good! Anyway, I am so excited for this chapter. I can just hear the screams and squees now.

Here you are, friends! The extra long, extra fabulous chapter four!

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><p>Chapter 4: A Brisk November<p>

Aron hopped off Latios's back with a harsh _clang_ on the cement below and went upon his merry way. It was at that moment that Steven realized that he had forgotten to take his father's Rhyhorn for a walk along with the Aron.

He cursed under his breath as he slid off Latios. _Well, it isn't like the massive creature would fit on Latios or Latias's back, anyway, _he thought to try and alleviate some of his guilt, _and besides, I need to take my own Pokemon for a walk, too._

"Thank you, Latios!" he called after him, but didn't turn around to see where he went. He didn't want to know.

Steven suddenly got a brilliant idea. On this perfectly sunny (albeit a bit chilly) November's Saturday, what better thing was there to do than to take a nice walk in the park? All he'd have to do was go upstairs and get his pokeballs and he would have another thing checked off his long, long list.

But he had another thing coming when he walked through those insanely tall double doors because Mrs. Tuffette was pacing back and forth angrily in the large, gold ornamented room, her plump face several shades brighter than usual. She caught his eye and looked daggers into him with her piercing blue eyes. "Mr. Stone! You skipped breakfast again!"

_Uh oh. _"Oh, dear me, did I? I'm sorry Mrs. Tuffette, time really got away from me this morning! You see, I had a meeting, and I'm afraid to say I didn't wake up in-"

"Oh, posh! You need your breakfast more than anything else in the morning! Those scientists should be smart enough to understand it, so they can wait!" She clicked her tongue and put her hands on her wide hips, covered with a long blue skirt and a blue polka-dotted apron. "I even poured you that extra glass of milk that you wanted! Now it's all going to go to waste." She looked genuinely hurt.

Mrs. Tuffette was an extremely motherly old woman who lived in the mansion for most of the year, save for the very few days when her husband was home from the sea, though Steven could never remember his name. Mrs. Tuffette kept her hair in a neat grey bun atop her head that was rarely seen under her frilled bonnet. She had many of these bonnets and many aprons to match Steven gathered since she always wore different colors but was always color-coordinated. Steven had known her since she was Ms. Tuffette, when her hair was curly and light blonde, her back was a little straighter, and she was a bit less stout.

"Oh, I'm sorry Mrs. Tuffette," Steven said and put a hand on her back. "I'll come in for breakfast tomorrow, alright?"

"You'd better!" she commanded.

He laughed light-heartedly. "Yes, ma'am. Now, please excuse me..."

"Oh, you!" she slapped him on the same arm that had the bruise on it from Seyten jabbing him. He flinched a little. "Always off somewhere between your meetings and your rock findings and scientist and..."

Steven was slowly climbing the stairs backwards, still smiling and nodding appropriately, until Mrs. Tuffette finally looked over and noticed he was half-way up and yelled, "Hey, get back here! I wasn't finished with you yet!" and Steven bolted. It seemed like he was running from lots of things these days.

He was almost to his room when a wet-faced, red-eyed woman attacked him from nowhere. "Mr. Stone, how could you?"

"Oh-uh-um Morgan, hey," he stammered, unsure of what to do.

"Mr. Stone, why do I have to leave? That terrible assistant of yours just gave me the notice. I can't believe her! But I don't really have to leave... right?" Morgan sniffled.

"Oh Arceus, Morgan..." Steven was not expecting this at all. But he knew he should have been. He felt like a fool. "I... Morgan you... you have to go. I'm sorry."

She wiped her face. Steven didn't even realize how young she was until just then, maybe fifteen or sixteen and with those big eyes staring up at him, it almost reminded him of... Nope. Never mind.

Suddenly, her whole demeanor changed her eyelids got a bit droopy and her stance wasn't so... helpless seeming. She put one finger on his chest and inched it down slowly. "Come on now, Mr. Stone... I thought we had something special..." her voice dropped.

Nope. Nope, nope, nope. Steven stood up straight. "There is no negotiation. You will be off the premises in twenty days. Our relationship is strictly business, Morgan."

Steven instantly regretted the words the moment they came out of his mouth. Now the girl took on an entirely different persona. "Strictly business, Steven?! I've been working here for nine months and we've spoken every time you've come here! And what about that one time, Steven..."

Oh, he remembered alright. "You attacked my face with yours when I was walking down the hall."

Her eyes narrowed. "You don't have the authority to fire me."

"I have complete authority over the household whenever my father is gone on business. That includes staff," he said completely emotionless. He dealing with people in business. They had lives, they didn't need the bad news of the axe that he often had to bear.

She sniffled once, then starting wailing, pieces of her long, dark red hair sticking to her face with the wetness. This went on for a good minute and a half before she finally spoke again. "Fine! I don't need you, I don't need this place I don't need ANYTHING!" Morgan near screamed.

Steven stared blankly, despite the emotional toil and... actually a bit of confusion from her constant switching of emotions.

She screamed and stomped away. Steven turned to leave when he was yanked back and downwards, the crazed maiden pulling him into a tight kiss. He flailed and struggled to break free, inwardly screaming the whole time. Finally, after what seemed like ten minutes (though it really could've been just a few seconds) she released him. Steven stood slightly slumped, trying best to maintain his composure through gasps and coughs. "I FUCKING HATE YOU!" she screamed and ran out.  
>He wiped his mouth. "Dear fucking Arceus..." he breathed. "This is why I drink."<p>

Cautiously, Steven moved toward his room, ready to bolt just in case another person decided to attack him. He grabbed his bag full of Pokeballs and looked at the clock on his wall. Three o'clock was hardly time for lunch, but his stomach was roaring at this point and he wasn't about to go downstairs to be lectured by Mrs. Tuffette again.

Steven set the eon flute down on his bedside table deciding it would take is his mind off... things. He then equally cautiously descended the staircase, hoping the door hinges had been recently oiled so he could slip by undetected, and to his relief they were.

"Go, Rhyhorn!" he said, opening the Pokeball, deciding that his father's Pokemon were best to get out of the way first. Aron was already done, but he wasn't around anyway. Probably found himself a nice comfy place to take a nap. Steven smiled at the thought. "Come on, buddy. We're going for a walk.

The autumn leaves were all near gone, but the ones that were still there were deep red and gorgeous. It was nearing his favorite season quickly. He could've taken his Skarmory, but he liked to see the leaves from the below.

Rustboro Hills was mostly houses with a high-brow finishing school where he spent many of his days and a few restaurants here and there. There was a bakery that was good, but not as good as Mrs. Tuffette's cooking and a few high-class five-star restaurants that were booked months in advance. It looked like he would be returning to Rustboro today.

It didn't take more than twenty minutes to descend down the steep path and into the little town. Once he reached it, he switched Rhyhorn for Metagross. Most people were finished with lunch at this time so he didn't think he'd have a problem finding a table... Just a restaurant that was open between lunch and dinner.

He could go the elegant path and try for that new Kalosian restaurant down the street or... he could go to Pizza Jim's. Pizza Jim's was by far the best place to get pizza in town, but also the most run down. But who really cared, right? And another plus, there would definitely be nobody he knew there.

Pizza Jim's was only a short walk. The streets weren't very busy, but there were a few people around; mostly younger kids and older folks. The younger people would be out later at night, when Chinch-U, the nightclub opened. Of course, they called it a nightclub but it was a school dance compared to Dustoxic in Mossdeep City.

Steven looked up at the big red and white sign in front of the green building that said "Pizza Jim's!" on it. He returned his Metagross to her pokeball and pushed through the glass door, a little bell on the handle jingling to make his presence known.

Inside there were a few red diner tables with metal chairs matching the red and white tile. The room was about the size of his at home which said that the place was mostly takeout and delivery if you missed the signs in the big windows outside. But there were three tables inside and two outside and only one of them was filled, which was great news for him.

"Heeey, Steven!" Pizza Jim called to him from the black counter. Light up menu signs hung on the wall behind the tall, tan man with long, blonde, spiked hair. He was big and jolly like a beach bum Santa Claus and had an infectious grin that made you wonder if he could've been Santa's little brother.

"Jim! Long time no see, buddy!" Steven beamed.

"Dad made ya come back again, did 'e?" His voice was naturally low and always laid back.

"Yeah," he chuckled.

"Man, that sucks. But at least I'll be seeing you more often, am I right? Well, until..." Suddenly Pizza Jim's face lost a bit of glow.

"What?"

He scratched the back of his head. "Just got the notice from the bank. We haven't been getting business we used to, y'know? Sixty days and I'm out."

"What?! No!" No way was Steven's favorite pizza place in the world closing down. "There has to be another way! You can get a lawyer, you can convince them..."

Pizza Jim shook his head. "Not that simple, kiddo. There's no convincing these guys even if I had the money for a lawyer." Steven glanced behind him, just noticing the moving boxes stacked up.

"Pizza Jim," Steven changed his tone into a more serious one and looked Pizza Jim straight in the eyes. "I would like ten extra-large pizzas."

Jim through his head back into a loud, hearty laugh. "Steven, man, I appreciate what you're trying to do for me here, but ten pizzas isn't really going to make a huge difference-"

"Then make it fifteen. Give me three Unovans with extra garlic and bacon, six Omanyte Deluxes, two Groudon Face-Melters, three Rustboro specials, and..." His steely gaze was unwavering.

"Ste-"

"One pepperoni pineapple with jalepenos."

"You can't-"

"I most certainly can and I most certainly will." Being a businessman did at times come with it's perks. He could convince a person that they were a duck if he had the time. In fact, he did once, though neither of them completely... had their wits about them. "How long?"

"I-um, two hours tops? But-"

"Wonderful. And when the first pizza's done will you bring it outside? I'm starved. Thaaanks," he sang and left before Jim had the chance to argue.

He exhaled loudly as he sat in a metal chair just outside, beginning to warm his hands by rubbing them together.

"That's a hell of a lot of pizzas," the person sitting at the other table behind him said, making him jump. He turned his head so fast it almost gave him whiplash, but there was nobody there.

Steven turned back and blew out slowly.

"...especially for just one guy." Steven jumped again. The person was now in front of him.

Steven laughed nervously. "Oh, hey Selenium." He put on a sort of guilty grin.

She waited.

"Er, s-sorry about the other day, you see and I was a bit under the weather-"

"You mean drunk off your ass."

"-eeyeah that and I wasn't quite myself so yeah, I'm really sorry Selenium."

She took a bite of her pizza and waited for more.

"And I'm an adult with the angst of a fifteen year-old who has no respect for himself or others?"

She chewed.

"I'll... buy you pizza...?"

"I don't want your money," she quickly snapped. "This pizza has already been paid for with your money. I work for you."

"You know Selenium, you're right. I didn't want to give you money anyway. I wanted to give you something more special, more personal, but I haven't quite gotten it yet. But I will," he assured her.

"Sure."

They both looked at each other, Steven sheepishly and awkwardly, Selenium with clear coldness.

After a bit of this staring contest, Selenium got up. "I'm late," was all she said, took her black and gold brand name purse and left.

Only seconds after, Jim came out carrying what smelled like the Omanyte Deluxe. "Man, who was that chick?"

"An... acquaintance," Steven answered.

"She looked so mad at you, bro. Whatever you did, you're in deep."

"Can I also order a tall glass of wine to go with these?"

"ID?"

Steven just looked at him.

"I have to ask!" he defended.

Steven groaned and handed him his wallet. "Also I forgot to pay, so just take the credit card with you when you go, please."

Pizza Jim chuckled. "Alright, man, whatever you say."

"What?" Steven demanded.

"You're just pretty loose about your credit card into a bank with hundreds of billions of poke in it."

"I trust you," he said.

Pizza Jim just shrugged and went back inside.

Steven opened the box and the smell of delicious hot pizza wafted into the air. He took a bite of the fantastic smelling white sauce, garlic, mushroom, and calamari slice. Who needed fancy? Pizza Jim's was heart and soul. Also delicious beyond words.

Jim was out with his wine in about a minute. He turned to leave, but Steven caught him before he left. He downed the glass in less than ten seconds. "More?" he asked.

Pizza Jim shook his head, chuckled, and left.

Steven had another hour and twenty minutes to kill after he stuffed himself and had two more glasses of wine. By that time, he was feeling pretty good about himself and decided it was best to check some things off his list that was lengthening, he was sure, by the minute.

He pulled his Pokenav Plus 4 (a new, unreleased version of the Pokenav Plus) from his pocket and scrolled through it. Martinov was scheduled to pick up a suit that had been partially eaten by Dustoxes later today, but why did Martinov need to come all the way down here when Steven was just across from the tailor?

He pulled a pen from his bag and wrote on the pizza box in big letters 'WENT TO DO ERRANDS, BE BACK SOON' and made his way toward the tailor.

Mr. Wiggins, the awkward, extremely tall tailor with little round glasses had his suit, but Steven didn't have his credit card. He groaned and recrossed the street to get it back from Pizza Jim.

On his way back he encountered a tall girl with black hair in a green outfit from his school. She snickered and said something hateful and rude about him, then about Pizza Jim. "At least I'm not a cheap stripper at the word's babiest nightclub," he rebuttled pleasantly and kept on walking. She stopped walking, mouth hanging open, dumbfounded. That's right. Steven was not cheap and did not hang out with wine-cooler sipping high schoolers.

He paid for the suit from Mr. Wiggins. Forty-five minutes left. "Damn," he cursed at his watch.

"Hey, Jim," Steven sang. "How's the pizza coming?" Steven asked when he returned.

"Just one left, actually. It should be done in a few minutes here."

"Grand!" he said and noticed Jim's daughter boxing pizzas in the back. She was much darker in complexion with bright blue eyes unlike her father's dark brown ones. "Katherine! How is everything?" he asked.

She turned toward him and gave him a quizzical look. "Fine, I suppose."

"That's great!" he said. "How's your mom doing?"

"She's... good."

"That's wonderful. She's a really nice lady," Steven said. He'd known her ever since he started coming to Pizza Jim's, but she had to stop working at the restaurant when she contracted an illness about a year back.

"All finished," Katherine said.

"Receipt?" Pizza Jim asked.

Steven rocked back and forth on his heels. "No, thank you."

The two piled up the pizzas in front of him and Steven quickly realized he didn't know how he was going to get them all home.

"Do you... Perchance have a dolly I could use to get these home? I'll get it back to you tonight, promise."

Katherine looked worriedly at her dad. She went to the finishing school as well and always tried to stay as far away from him as possible.

"Ah, why not." Jim wheeled a rusty blue one from behind the boxes and helped Steven load them up.

"Thanks so much!" he said to them and waved goodbye. Jim waved back, but Katherine only crossed her arms and pouted.

Steven set Skarmory free to stretch his wings and meet him back at the house and both of his Aggrons to walk up with him.

By the time Steven reached the house and returned his pokemon to their pokeballs, most of the effects of the alcohol had worn off, leaving him exhausted and cold. "Honey, I'm home!" he called.

Martinov was there in no time. "Martinov, will you help me take these pizzas to the kitchen?" he asked a bit raggedly.

Between the two of them they got all of the pizzas into the kitchen in a single trip and to Steven's great relief, Mrs. Tuffette was not in the kitchen to yell at him.

"I have to go return this dolly to Pizza Jim..." said Steven, not looking forward to the journey back.

"No sir, please, let me," said Martinov valiantly.

Steven waved him away. "No, no. This is my problem."

"Sir, you are exhausted. I insist."

Steven brightened up a bit. "Why thank you, Martinov. And you don't have to get my suit, by the way, I got it for you." He held up his arm.

"Thank you, sir. That was very gracious of you."

"Aw, don't thank me." Martinov was actually pretty buff for an older guy, so he doubted he'd have any issue.

Martinov bowed and took the dolly out the door. The sun had almost set.

Steven climbed the stairs sleepily and threw his room door open, beginning to undress. He had all of his top clothes entirely off when he heard a harsh noise coming from the balcony.

Curiously yet warily he unlatched the stained glass doors and a huge gust of wind overtook him. Latios was there, scratching against the wall.

"Latios! What is it? You have to go home!" he tried to shoo him away, but the stubborn creature would not budge. "Latios, go! Go on back to your trainer! Lati-"

"Steven?" came a familiar voice from behind him.

"May?"


	5. Old Bridges

I was expecting this to be a shorter chapter, but it's actually one of the longest. Hmm.

I guess I'm... a little disappointed, guys. In the last chapter I placed a tiny piece of foreshadowing (or rather I alluded to a past that I'll go over in greater detail later) and though brief and slight, I was a little disappointed that it seemed that no one found it. And if you did find it, good job to you! Just PM me though, 'cause we don't want to ruin the secret for anyone else!

Chapter 5, everybody!

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><p>Chapter 5: Old Bridges<p>

"Steven?" came a familiar voice from behind him.

"May?"

Steven was dumbfounded. How was she-?

Just then, Steven's father Mr. Stone burst in. "Hey, Steven!" he said uncharacteristically joyfully. Oh, no. What had he done.

"I'm back from my trip to Petalburg!" Mr. Stone said enthusiastically.

"I can see that," Steven replied slowly, a bit unnerved. "Tell me again, father, what the premise of your journey was?"

"Good Arceus, you need a shave. And a shirt! Mrs. Tuffette, will you kindly show Ms. May to her quarters? Steven needs some time to properly present himself." Mrs. Tuffette stood behind him, no doubt about to chew Steven out for the pizzas, but she sweetly obliged. She didn't want to be seen yelling at him in front of the head boss, Steven supposed. May looked back with an expression he couldn't quite pinpoint on her face before she disappeared from sight.

Steven touched his face. It was still just stubble but it was getting longer by the hour. He'd always thought himself lucky to have a beard come in before a mustache (awful things, in his opinion) and... wait. _And a shirt! _Steven looked down and jumped. He'd entirely forgotten that he wasn't wearing anything but pants.

"Her quarters?! Father-"  
>"Steven, May has come to live with us for the school year." Steven opened his mouth to protest, but his father had kept right on speaking. "She's a good girl and I've known her for many years. She's helped us countless times, so when Norman mentioned that they didn't have money to send her to college I quickly took up the cause."<p>

Steven, though infuriated that his father hadn't told him any of this beforehand, knew he wasn't going to let him talk so he began to redress. "Think about how good it will make Devon look, Steven! I can see the headlines now- Selfless President of Devon Corp. Takes In Needy Girl," the short man gestured in the air. Steven was disgusted with him. He moved to the bathroom to shave.

"Oh, come on. May's your old friend! You don't have to be so cold about this!"

"I thought that's what good and proper businessmen were. Cold as ice," he retorted calmly, scraping cream off his face.

"You listen here," his voice suddenly got lower. Steven was used to this. He didn't even look. "You'll be nice and you'll show her around. You'll smile for the media and you'll be a good little boy, you got it?"

Ugh, more media. The media from her championship had just died down enough so that he could go out in public. He didn't need any more attention.

"I'm not a little boy anymore," snapped Steven.

"If you keep acting like one that's how I'll treat you," he bit back and left the room.

Steven took a deep breath and looked at himself in the mirror, giving himself a silent pep talk. _You can do this, Steven. It's just May. She's just a friend, just like Father said. Ready... go! _He splashed cold water on his face, wiped it with a towel, and took off.

Steven was pretty sure May was in the Rose Room, his favorite guest room in the house partially because it was so beautiful and it led straight to the gardens, partially because it was his nursery when he was a child.

Steven knocked on the closed, rounded door. There was a brief pause as if May was wondering whether or not to let him in. "Come in," she finally said, and Steven sucked in a huge breath, not realizing that he hadn't been breathing.

May was sitting in the large, golden, four poster bed. The white, rose-printed blankets were a bit wrinkled under the weight of her large suitcase. She looked so... different. Her hair was much shoulder so it only barely reached her shoulders tied up in the usual red bandana but in a different way. She traded the shorts for black skinny jeans and tank for a t-shirt. Her tennis shoes were now yellow rainboots. The only thing that was the same were her big, blue eyes. Steven figured she had to be about seventeen now.

"Are you gonna say something or just stand there?"

Steven blinked, not realizing he hadn't said anything. He wasn't sure if May was serious or just messing with him. "Er... Are you hungry?"

A few moments later the two were in the kitchen. "Erm... Do you still like pepperoni pineapple with jalepenos?"

She looked at him kind of funny. "Is that even a question? 'Course I do."

"How many slices do you want?"

She shrugged. "I haven't eaten since breakfast so... How many do you have?"

He looked her straight in the eye, blue against blue. "I have ten pizzas."

After a few seconds they both burst out laughing and laughed for a good long while, not because he was funny or because she thought he was kidding but because of the reason that, though neither of them would say it out loud, they really missed each other. "I'm serious, though," he said through his laughter.

May wiped her eyes. "I definitely believe you. Can we go with... three slices?"

Steven just ended up putting the whole pizza in the oven just in case and a kettle on the stove for tea and the two went to sit in the breakfast nook.

"So... how did you end up with ten pizzas?" May started.

"Well, it was actually eleven originally..."

The two sat and bantered for a long while, though it felt very short to the both of them. It was all a joyous and carefree conversation until May said the words, "Three years."

Steven was quiet.

She went on in a very small voice. "Why did you leave?"

He shook his head. "Maybird- I mean May," he accidentally slipped her old nickname, "you don't want to know. You really, really don't want to know. Trust me on this one."

"But I do! You owe that much," she said and pulled out the puppy dog eyes.

If Steven were not trained in the arts of the heartless businessman, they would've worked. "No, May. You might know one day, but not... not today, okay?" She wasn't ready to know was what he really meant, and he didn't think she ever would be.

She pouted. "Fine. But promise me you'll tell me someday?"

Steven hesitated. There was a part of him that screamed no, but the other part knew that he owed it to her. "Fine," he said to end the conversation so she wouldn't ask anymore. Maybe someday when one of them was on their deathbed, she would finally learn why. In the meantime he would do everything in his power to keep her from finding out. He glanced at the clock behind him. "So... it's two in the morning."

"What?" May giggled. "No way!"

"I know!" he said, absentmindedly petting the Aron on his lap. "Maybe we should get some sleep. Boss says I have to show you around tomorrow and get this- he wants me to be NICE to you."

May gasped. "What horror! You should quit."

"Believe me, I've been trying for a good long time." He chuckled emotionlessly and took the sleeping Aron off his lap. It just curled up into a ball next to him. "Anyway, even if you're not going to bed, _I _am since I have to deal with that stranger that came into my house _all day _tomorrow."

"What a pain."

"It really is," he agreed, regaining feeling in his legs.

Steven hesitated before he left. "Do you know how how to get back to your room?"

"Actually, I could probably use a little help," she said uncertainly.

"Well, let's go then. I don't have all night. Er, morning," he corrected.

She smiled. It was a wondrously sincere thing and it brought back so many of Steven's memories.

"After you, milady." Steven gestured to the door and he followed her out.

"Really, it's not that difficult. From your room you take the corridor straight down, turn right, climb the staircase, turn right again and you're in the kitchen. The bathroom is just down that same corridor and to the left, second door." They were at the entrance to her white-walled room.

May still seemed uncertain.

"Do you um... still have my Pokenav number?" Steven asked awkwardly.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure..."

"Then just call me if you get lost and I'll come and get you," he reassured her. "You'll get used to it eventually, I promise."

"O-okay..."

"Don't worry about it. I'll help you with anything you need, alright?"

"Yeah, okay..." May replied absentmindedly, like she was somewhere else for a moment.

Steven didn't want to leave her, but he knew he had things to do the next day and couldn't afford to lose any more sleep. "Good night," he said.

"Night."

Climbing the stairs to his room, Steven thought about the events of the day. Mostly about May. His heart fluttered at the thought of her being back in his life, but he couldn't afford it to. He couldn't drag her into this life that he had. This life filled to the brim with more money than he knew what to do with warped and poisoned people. There was no way he was going to ever let that to happen to her. And more than anything, he didn't want her to end up like Duskstone.

* * *

><p>And the mysterious Duskstone appears! I've been waiting for this for so long, you guys have no idea.<p>

Love you guys! Make sure to review and favorite and all that other stuff so I can keep the updates coming. Muacs!


	6. Fashion

Hey everybody! I just want you guys to know that I'm ALWAYS throwing discreet foreshadowings and hints to later chapters at you, so I'd advise you to keep a lookout for those.

I had a lot of fun with Steven's feminine side in this chapter along with the usual banter between the two. I'm really excited for further chapters right now (well one in particular)! I've got it all layed out and I'm planning on having lots and lots more chapters for everyone! Yay!

So, let me introduce to you Chapter 6: Fashion!

* * *

><p>Chapter 6: Fashion<p>

"STEVEN! STEEEEVEEEEN!"

Steven sat bolt upright. The shrieks continued.

Without any delay, Steven bolted to where the sound was coming from. It was most definitely May.

"STEVEN!"

He turned a corner and saw her in standing in the grand hallway. She didn't look harmed and there was no one else around besides a large Metagross.

"STEVEN, YOU WILL GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!" she yelled. At the Metagross. Oh.

"Steven?" This time she was talking to him.

"You must really like seeing me half-naked," he joked, catching his breath. His heart rate was finally slowing.

She stormed over to him and punched him in the arm. "Ow," he faked. May really wasn't very strong.

"Don't be ridiculous! I wasn't calling you. My Metagross got loose somehow and I was calling him back."

"You were screaming the name 'Steven' like you were being brutally murdered in the house of a person named Steven and you didn't expect me to come running?" he grinned. "And you named your Metagross Steven? Isn't that the one that I-"

"Shut the fuck up and help me get him back, boxer boy."

"Sure thing," he said smugly like he didn't have a Mudkip named May. "You wanna see your mommy, huh boy?"

The creature roared.

"I'll be right back," he said, still smug about the Metagross.

"And put some clothes on! Arceus," Steven heard her call after him.

"Just for you, Maybird," he sassed.

Steven figured that, since it was Sunday, he'd be having brunch with Selenium and some other businessmen and scientists, so he'd wear something that made him think of a Sunday brunch. Maybe a nice pastel, like the yellow-

"Arceus, Steven, how long does it take to get dressed?" He heard May yell.

"Fine," he mumbled to himself and threw on a tank and some jeans and quickly as he could when he heard a loud _crunch_ and grabbed the Pokeball containing the Metagross from his bag.

"Go, Metagross!" he said, opening the Pokeball in the hall. It seemed Steven (the Pokemon one) had almost nearly crushed one of the courtyard pillars. The two Metagrosses instantly went to each other, did something that couldn't be explained any other way than a strange hug, and went to go play in the courtyard.

"Fixed," he said.

"You are such a princess," May told him and crossed her arms. She was wearing a pink tank top and too-long pink flannel pants.

"What do you mean?!" Steven was very taken-aback.

She smirked. "You take so long to get dressed! All you're wearing is a tank and skinny jeans and-" she bit her lip a little and looked him up and down, not speaking. "Anyway you just took forever."

"For your information I have a very important business brunch to go to in about..." he looked at his watch, "three hours."

"Ha! You practically have a year."

"You'd be surprised how quickly you can lose time in this house," he warned.

"Ooh, I'm so scared," May mocked jokingly.

Steven turned on his heel. "I'm gonna go shower."

"Good, you reek!"

"Not sure you're any better Miss I-Walked-Here-From-Petalburg-Yesterday," he retorted.

She gave a sort of exasperated and angry small scream and stormed off. What a hot-head.

_Ring. Riiiing._

Steven turned the knobs of his shower off and grabbed the Pokenav that was lying in the sink. "Hello?"

"Steven," came the faint voice of May, "am I coming with you to brunch?"

He was mostly done with his shower anyway, so he wrapped a large, white towel with a blue letter S in the corner around himself. "Yeah sure, I mean, if you want. It'll probably be really boring, but you're welcome to."

"Great, I'll be up in a few."

"See you then." He closed the Pokenav and looked at the time on the front. He had about two hours left.

The suit he chose in the end was the pastel yellow one with gray pants and a black tie. He shook his hair out, put it on, and went out.

May was sitting on his bed reading one of the books from his bookshelf. It was one of his personal favorites, Blue Rescue Team.

"Ah, I love the Mystery Dungeon books," said Steven.

May turned her head. "Really? I pictured you as more of a Red Rescue Team sort of guy."

He shrugged. "You ready?"

"Yup." She stood up. She was wearing a t-shirt, an old grey hoodie, and some ripped shorts.

"Haha, no." Steven took her arm in his and led her back to her room, going around the Machokes that were moving Morgan's things out. May looked at them curiously, but she didn't say anything. "You see, these people are really..."

"Snobbish?" she offered.

"...concerned with appearances and today's a day when we all need to look very formal. Erm... By chance do you have any dresses?"

"Yeah, a few?"

"Will you show them to me?"

"I guess..." she said and grudgingly rifled through her drawers. Steven sat on her bed as she went into the dressing room to try them on.

Just then, Steven's father walked into the room. "How's everything going, son?" he asked, kind of suspicious of why May wasn't in the room and Steven was sitting on her bed, but he didn't ask.

"I need a whole week off school to properly show her around," Steven replied, getting right to the point. Steven would take advantage of May's staying in the house as long as he could.

"Of course not! You can have Monday off and that's it!"

"No, father, I need at least four days," he bargained.

"Two."

"Three."

"Two or none."

"Fine," he settled unhappily. "When are you going to Le Roserade?"

"I was just about the ask you the same before you so rudely interrupted. I'm going now because I have some errands to run. Are you and Ms. May going to come along?"

"No," he told him, trying to keep control his irritation, "we have some things to do first."

"Okay, then..." he said, going out the door. "Use protection!"

"OH MY ARCEUS. NOT THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. LEAVE."

"Bye, son!" he sang.

"I have no father," he mumbled, embarrassed and hoping May didn't hear any of that.

"Okay, there's this one," May said, opening the door. Her not commenting on her father's words either told him she was pretending not to have heard them or she didn't hear them. He sincerely hoped it was the latter.

The dress was a dark blue polka-dotted apron dress with an Altaria on it.

"Nope. Next."

He waited.

"This?" This time it was a no-sleeved leather dress with a built-in corset and lace-up back.

Damn. But he couldn't say yes to it.

Next a salmon-colored sweater dress. "Definitely not."

A few moments later, "This is the last one I have. I hate it, but my mom told me I had to take it..."

This one was a bright yellow, mostly plain boatneck skater dress with buttons going up the front. "It's not great, but it'll have to do. How are you in the realm of tights?"

"Fishnets and black flowered lace?"

"Gonna have to go bare, then. Shoes?"

"Uh, skitty face flats, black lace-up boots, and yellow rainboots.

"Can I see the black boots?"

She opened her closet and grabbed the boots. They were old, but they'd work.

"Okay, those ones. I was going to show you around downtown, but it looks like there's some emergency shopping that needs to be done."

"Emergency shopping? Sure I'm not complaining, but are you sure you aren't gay?"

"Shut up. We don't have a lot of time so... I don't know, do your hair or something and let's go."

"Yeesh, yes sir." The trainer threw up her hands and went into the bathroom.

Not ten minutes later, May came out of the bathroom hair curled and face all done up.

"That was quite fast," Steven commented.

"Now you see why I have a problem with your slowness," she replied simply. "Let's go."

Once the two reached the bottom of the hill, Steven checked his watch. "See, we only have forty-five minutes left. I told you time flies in that place."

"Wow, I guess it does, huh?" she smiled slyly. "Though it wouldn't have taken quite as long if you didn't take so long playing dress-up."

Steven chose to ignore that comment. "We don't really have a lot of time and I'd like to get some orders in with Mr. Wiggins before this whole thing starts. Le Roserade isn't that far from his place."

"Wait, wait, hold up. Get some orders in?"

"But of course. Mr. Wiggins makes the best clothes in all of Rustboro and, in my opinion, all of Hoenn."

"Um..." May looked confused. "So we're not really going shopping?"

Steven shrugged. "Well, it's like going shopping because Mr. Wiggins has all the latest fashions even before they become trends. You never know what you'll find and everything always fits you just right."

May still looked uncertain, but she went along with it.

The little bell jingled, letting Wiggins know he had guests, but he didn't look up from his work. He was furiously and flawlessly working a sewing machine on what looked like a black suit.

"Hello Mr. Wiggins," Steven said.

"Hello, Steven. Who's your guest?"

"My name is May," she introduced.

Wiggins still hadn't looked up. "Well, it's great to meet you, May. The newest autumn stylebook is the one on the counter if that's what you're looking for, otherwise I can help you find a different book."

"No, that's quite alright. Thank you, Mr. Wiggins," Steven said.

"You are welcome."

Steven opened the huge book to the young women's formal section. "Pretty much any of this is okay."

May looked at the styles with an almost professional seeming eye. "None of these seem to have a brand name," she observed.

"That's because I make styles for the stylists, hun," said Wiggins, still buried in his work.

"Really?" She looked awestruck at the man. "Like which ones?"

"Gigolipof, Hoennation, Marille, you name it, I make it."

"Wow..." May whispered.

Then her eyes made their way to the price tag. The look on her face was a mixture between needing to throw up and about to burst into tears. "Ste-Steven I can't... I can't afford this stuff, I..." Her eyes began to well up.

"Woah, slow down, May," Steven said, putting a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "You don't expect me to just insult your wardrobe and tell you that you need new clothes and not pay for them, do you?"

She looked at him with an emotion that he couldn't quite place. "You mean it?" she asked in a small voice.

He exhaled loudly. "Well, of course. As long as you stop looking at me like that, geez, what even is that?"

May through her arms around his neck pulling him down into a tight hug. A whispered "thank you" was all she could get out and she released him.

"Yeah, don't mention it," Steven mumbled, scratching the back of his head, his face probably red as a tomato. "Get like... six outfits, some accessories, and some shoes, okay?"

She just let out a strangled "EEEE" and began flipping through the pages. "I used to work at Hoennation, you know."

Mr. Wiggins pushed his round glasses back up on his nose. "Does the little lady need her measurements done?"

Steven looked at her. "I suppose it would be good to get them done, since a lot of different places measure differently and have clothes that fit differently..." she said.

He stood and grabbed a measuring tape. "Steven, hand."

"Right." He took Mr. Wiggins's hand and placed it on May's head.

"Five-foot two," he instantly said and the extremely tall and lanky man began spinning May and putting his measuring tape in various places. Steven couldn't help but smile, remembering the first time Mr. Wiggins did this to him. "33A. 21. 33. Does that sound right?"

"Hoennation actually said a little smaller, but yeah, seems right."

"Hoennation always undersizes and it drives me crazy. You're a bit short for a model, don't you think?"

"O-oh, I'm not a model, sir. I just do paperwork."

He stopped spinning her and put his huge hands lightly on her face for only a second. "You could be for petite clothing."

"Well, um, thank you, uh, sir-"

"Not a compliment, only an observation. I do like you, though. I look forward to seeing you again, Miss May." He touched Steven's arm for only a moment. "I'm going to have to remeasure you when you return, since I believe you only have five minutes left to get to the brunch."

"Ah! You're right! Thank you Mr. Wiggins, we'll be back!" And the two rushed out the door.


	7. A Lesson In Color

You all know how I said I like to throw in those tiny foreshadowing hints? I also like to lead you astray. Ha! I guess that just makes it for fun for the both of us though, huh?

I cannot believe I got two chapters done in one day. I must've really been a lazy bum today, huh! Well, I guess that's great for you guys but not so good for my parents who complain about my constant writing all the time, haha.

Anyway, enjoy your Flurp-taught Lesson In Color! Don't forget to review, favorite, and follow so I can keep putting them chappies out for you all and you can get updates right away!

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><p>Chapter 7: A Lesson In Color<p>

"Did you notice?"

"Notice what?" asked May.

"Mr. Wiggins. He's blind."

"No way!"

"I know, I know, you kinda just think he's a little strange at first but once you realize it first makes sense and then you stop and are all 'Oh my Arceus, how is he the greatest fashion designer in all of Hoenn if he's blind?'" he laughed.

"Yeah, totally! And how did he know about brunch? I don't remember telling him," she commented.

Steven shrugged. "Mr. Wiggins is the smartest person I know, and my best friends have PhDs. And he's only like twenty-five years old. He just keeps track of every client's full schedule in that enormous brain of his. He knows every page of every book in that shop and knows all of his clients just by their voices."

"That's madness! And the glasses-"

"Purely aesthetic choice."

The two arrived right on time to Le Roserade, talking and laughing while everyone at the long table just scowled at their newspapers. They sat together near the end across from Selenium in the gorgeous outdoor patio.

"Good morning, Selenium."

She nodded, but her eyes were fixed on an article.

"Why are everyone just reading their newspapers?" May whispered.

Steven unfolded his own newspaper that he'd brought rolled up in his pocket. "It's what we do until everyone gets here or until it's five minutes past eleven, whichever comes first," he explained, matching May's whisper.

"What are the headlines?" she asked because Steven hadn't remembered to bring one for her. He put his arm around her, sharing it between the two of them.

"Who said you could do that?" whispered May.

Steven ignored her. "First headline: Pokenave Plus 4 Release Later This Week? Boring. I've already got one. Second: Zubat Infestation Increases? Annoying, but boring. Third: Missing Exotic Dancer? Vaguely intriguing-" she punched his arm, "-but still boring. Fourth: Four-Percent Mark-up on New Devon Co. Products? Extreme boredom. And that's the top of the news for you."

"Laaaame."

"Ladies and gentlemen," Steven put down the newspaper and took May's arm in his to let her know to stand up, "this meeting has now been opened. I'm going to bring up some major topics that have come to my attention and then you are all free to state your ideas, concerns, et cetera. And do please remember to keep your hands to yourself," said the President of Devon Co.. Steven immediately dropped May's arm and flushed pink.

"Now, let us begin..."

The meeting was exasperatingly boring. Steven found himself very creative in making all sorts of things out of the newspaper whether it be airplanes, snowflakes, or figuring out origami. May tried to be much more respectful (being the guest and all) and didn't take part in the origami, but did doodle on the notebook Steven lent her.

After what felt like years, Mr. Stone who sat on the end right next to Steven, called everyone to stand. "Meeting adjourned," he announced and everyone respectively sat down and chatted about all sorts of things. The waiter immediately brought out the menus. May opened hers and gulped at the prices.

"No worries, everyone's food is paid for by my father. Get whatever you want," he said, thankful that he was able to speak in a normal voice.

"I've never seen any of these things before..." May mused.

"If you want my advice, get the Oeufs en Cocette au Saumon Fume or Homard en Croute," he offered.

"I don't even know what you just said..." she stared at the menu dumbfounded.

"Selenium," Steven began.

She set her menu down.

"I got you something to express how sorry I was. Sorry I didn't have time to wrap it..." he reached inside his pocket and pulled out a hard object wrapped in a silk handkerchief, offering it to her.

She looked at it skeptically. "Open it first," she commanded.

Steven rolled his eyes. "You have to promise you'll actually use it. It's one of my prized possessions," he said, unwrapping the glistening moonstone from it's protector. "You can use it to evolve your Skitty into a Delcatty and she'll also learn a special move. I found it myself."

"Wow, Steven..." said Selenium sincerely. "It's... wonderful, thank you so much."

"You're welcome," he said. There was a silence, then Steven said quietly, "I still hate your guts, though."

Selenium smiled. "The feeling's mutual."

"Oh, good. I was terrified that we'd have to start acting like buddies after this," he exhaled.

"Great, then we've reached an agreement."

"It's been good doing business with you," Steven joked.

The waiter came around to take their orders. "I'll have the Coquille St. Jacques," Steven told him and looked at May. She just pointed to what she wanted on the menu since she couldn't pronounce it.

The food took barely no time at all and by the time they got it it was more of a late lunch, but they were glad to have it anyway. It was fantastic as always.

Steven and May excused themselves early (since he knew the others would sit and talk for several more hours) and went back to Mr. Wiggins's tailor shop.

"We're back," said Steven."

"Ah, good!" Mr. Wiggins was now working on a gorgeous looking pink dress. He got up from his work and said, "Hand."

This time May got the pleasure of putting Wiggins's hand on Steven's head and watching him spin. "5'10, you grew! I was sure you were finished."

"Much slimmer in the waist if that was possible, your shoulders are MUCH bigger, legs are also bigger, but in a good way... You must really have been working out!" he noted and stopped spinning him.

Steven blushed and scratched the back of his head. "All that rock climbing must be pretty good for a person, huh?"

"Yes..." he said. "I'll make note of your new measurements right away. Miss May, have you picked your outfits?"

"Oh, yes!" she grinned, pretending she hadn't really been paying attention.

"Tell me the numbers, will you?"

"Let's see... 109A, 114C, 190X, 163RF, 182E, and 166L I believe." Mr. Wiggins was poking pins in what looked like play-doh for every number.

"Hmm, no good," Mr. Wiggins said. "Steven won't like 114C. You might want to try another."

"Oh, okay..." May was still awestruck by Mr. Wiggins's abilities. "How about 116O then?"

"That one? You know... that actually might work on you. There aren't a lot of people who it does look good on, you know. It makes it awfully difficult to come by models. You should think of signing with me for that one, though."

May 'eep'ed. "You mean _me_? As a model for _you_?!"

"That's what I said, darlin'."

She practically exploded. "Of course!"

"Fabulous. I'll have the paperwork for you soon."

"Thank you so much, Mr. Wiggins!"

"Thank you for your perfect measurements. Ta ta, darlin'" He had a silly accent; really twangy yet he spoke in Kalosian half of the time and Steven knew for a fact that he was fluent.

Steven smiled. She'd been in town for one day and she already had her dream job. She always used to talk about fashion when she was younger and now she was living the dream.

She could hardly contain herself walking out of the building. "Oh my ARCEUS, Steven! Did you HEAR him?!"

"Ha, that I did. That's great!" He didn't want to burst her bubble with all of the negatives that could come with working for him right at that moment, so he kept his mouth shut.

It didn't matter if he wanted to anyway since a person crashed into him right at that moment. "STEEEVEEEEN!" It was a woman. She looked up at him with deep brown, teary eyes. He knew that face.

Nope. Nope, nope, nope.

"Briannica, hey..." he said unenthusiastically. Dear Arceus there were a lot of teary eyes women crashing into him lately. He was feeling serious deja vu.

"Steven, I'm so sorry, babe! Please take me back!" she wept.

May stood bolt upright, eyes round as an owl's. Steven looked over at her with an expression like a deer in the headlights.

"B-Briannica, we've been over this. Your work doesn't allow-"

"But I love you, Steven!"

"No, Briannica, listen. Please. You... please stop crying Briannica," he tried to calm her down, but his hands were still in the air, not sure what to do with themselves except to avoid Briannica like the black plague.

She looked over at May through her sniffles. "Oh, Arceus, you're already with another woman! I can't believe you! And you're even wearing matching clothes!" she smacked him in the chest.

Steven hadn't even noticed that part until now. "She's.. we're not together. And Briannica, we haven't dated in almost three years. I... Did Selenium call you?"

"Uhuh," she sniffled. "She said she was worried about you and you needed some help taking your mind off things." She set her hand on his chest.

"Nope, nope, I am fine, just wonderful. No, really! Now you should go home and make yourself some hot cocoa and get out of this cold. You'll freeze to death."

"Oh, Steven, you do still care!" she hugged him tighter.

May was still frozen.

"Please, Briannica. Everything's going to be fine. Just go home and have Marcelo do your nails or something relaxing, okay?"

"Okay..." she wiped her face. "But when you leave this chick for me, call me okay? And even before then if she's not treating you well, if you know what I mean."

"Bye, Briannica."

"Bye," she sniffed and scuffled away.

Steven turned to the still frozen May. "What even," she started, but couldn't finish.

"You really don't want to know..."

"Stop saying that! You have to tell me something before I go insane!" she yelled.

"Okay, okay. Let's get back to the house and I'll explain on the way."

All she did was nod.

"How do I say this..."

"That was your girlfriend."

"No," Steven reassured her firmly. "No, she used to be. Kind of. It's hard to explain because she's..."

"A whore."

"...a prostitute and..."

"You used to employ her."

"No. I didn't employ her. Selenium did. She said I needed to get over..." he hesitated. "Look, she just hired her as a female companion, nothing more. Then she said she'd never really had a real boyfriend, not since grade school and asked if I would be hers and... yeah, I couldn't say no to her. But that was a mistake I made a long time ago."

May was quiet, her eyes still bugged.

He stepped in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders. "May. None of that matters. At all. None," he said, looking her in the eyes. "It wasn't anything real. Briannica doesn't really love me at all. She just wants my money."

May slowly nodded. "Okay," she said after a little while and they continued walking.

The two reached to double doors of the house and Steven grabbed May's arm lightly before she went in. "Are you really okay?" he asked with all his heart. There was nothing that Steven wanted less than May to hate him.

She looked down then back up. "Yeah. I think I am." She smiled slightly.

Steven returned the smile and pushed open the doors.

"Hey, May! I've been waiting for you for like, forever!"


	8. Never Have I Ever

Woohoo! 15,000 (roughly) words and 1,500 (roughly) views! Woohoo! Thanks so much everyone! Love you! I would do something to celebrate, but I don't know what.

You know... I didn't really much like that last chapter, but I promise this one will be much better. Also... I know that this isn't going to actually stop anyone, but please stop sending me spam mail, guys. It's not cool. If you want things explained or even if you just want to chat, feel free to PM me whenever (I don't bite much, honest)! I just don't like the chain emails and people asking me to join off-site communities and ask me for money.

I've been looking forward for a pretty long time for this chapter and now it's begun! Please welcome Chapter 8!

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><p>Chapter 8: Never Have I Ever<p>

"Hey, May! I've been waiting for you for like, forever!"

"Brendan!" May squealed and tackled him with a hug.

"Owf, you've only been gone for like, two days! Arceus," he laughed. "I came by to check on how you were doing here and to bring you some stuff you left. Actually, your parents ordered me to."

"Well, no matter why you're here, I'm just glad you are," she smiled.

Brendan glanced at Steven.

"Oh yeah, you remember Steven, Brendan!"

"Huh, yeah, sort of. I thought you said he was living on his own in Mossdeep."

"Yeah, I thought that too, but it looks like he's living with his dad while he's going to college. Isn't that great?" 'Living with his dad while he's going to college'. That was the sugarcoating of the century.

"Yeah, that is great." Brendan gave him a look. Steven knew that Brendan was thinking that that was the opposite of great.

"Hey Brendan, are you hungry? There's some pizza in the kitchen."

"Dude, you know I always have room for pizza!"

"I can even get there by myself now and, wait, guess what..."

The two ascended the stairs chatting merrily away while Steven was still awkwardly standing in the doorway. "Yeah, sure. No really, go right ahead, my house is your house," Steven grumbled to himself and began to follow.

"Son," said a voice behind him.

He turned. "Yes, father?"

"I've had something serious come up with Silph and I'm leaving tomorrow night. I'm afraid you'll only be able to have Monday off after all."

"What? But we agreed-"

"Sometimes plans change, Steven. You know that."

"But May-"

"Steven, this is not up for discussion. Now I have to be off. I'm meeting with Paisley soon. Take care!" he wished and left.

"Yeah, or maybe I'll drop dead. It's not like you'd give much notice. It'd give you great press, you'd be in the news for months," he mumbled and started to go upstairs. He didn't want May to be alone with Brendan. He told himself that it was because he cared about her safety, but he knew that wasn't the only reason.

He found the two in the kitchen. Brendan was going through pizza like he hadn't eaten in weeks.

"Yeah, yeah! And Penny totally misses you too! We have to plan a day to hang out again some time," Brendan enthused.

"Definitely!"

Steven took a seat and the two just kept talking. He checked his watch. It was almost four o'clock.

He waited for a good time to open his mouth and say something, but there never seemed a good enough time for it.

4:05.

4:10.

4:15.

Finally at 4:20, Steven cut in. "Hey, sorry to interrupt, but if you want to get back to Littleroot by sundown you might want to get going."

Brendan shook his head. "Nah, man, there's no way I can get back before night. I was actually wondering if I could crash here tonight."

Steven couldn't really say that there weren't any guest rooms left since he lived in a mansion and he couldn't really flat out say no since May seemed to like him so much. But oh, Arceus, what if they were together? "Erm..."

"Come on, man! I'll sleep on your couch if I need to, I'm sure you have enough in this huge place."

Steven sighed. "Fine." He vowed to find the couch that was as far away from May's room as possible with as many twists and turns as he could find.

"Sweet, thanks!" he said and the two of them kept on talking. Steven rubbed his temples. He was not in the mood for this today. Or really ever.

"I'll be back," he said, though it wasn't like they really cared.

"Okay, but be back soon!" May said.

He ascended the stairs and changed quickly into a tank and shorts. Steven didn't really care what May and Brendan did. He was obviously not invited, so he decided that it was a perfect time for a workout since they would likely be talking for a good, long while. He didn't want to lose any of the muscle he'd gained while he was away because he knew he'd just have to build it back up when he left that awful place. Or was kicked out.

Once Steven was done with his shower and redressed in a salmon colored t-shirt and the same black jeans from that morning, he looked at his watch again. It was now a little past seven.

It was about time to check on May and the uninvited guest.

He found the two not in the kitchen in the living room on a cushy rug, legs criss-crossed, still chatting away.

"Oh, Steven! You're just in time, me and Brendan were telling ghost stories!" May clapped once.

Steven sat with them. He'd go with it. "Who's going first?"

"Me!" declared Brendan. "On a dark and stormy night..." he started.

While listening to Brendan's totally lame and not even remotely scary, Steven played a game with himself, trying to guess the age of the boy. His attitude and story-telling abilities suggested he was around twelve but his body looked more like he could've been around eighteen, judging by his height, the deepness of his voice, and his buff-looking arms. It was a more brutish sort of muscular than Steven which suggested he lifted weights. He had a disgusting mustache prickling through that either told him that he hadn't shaved in a while or he was a little younger.

"And AHHH!" yelled Brendan. May jumped. Steven was still bored.

"Aw, man. I was hoping I could scare you, Steve," Steven cringed at the shortened name. _Dear mother of all things holy, let him keel over dead. _"I guess it's your turn then, May."

"Brendan, how old are you?" Steven asked.

"I'll be seventeen in December," he said proudly.

"Right. Go on, May."

"Once upon a time..."

Steven already knew how old May was. Her story telling was definitely above average, though she did get confused some of the time. When she ended her story, Steven didn't really feel that scared. He wondered if there was much that really could scare him anymore.

"Okay, your turn, Steven," May said.

Steven walked over to the light and fished three flashlights from a cabinet drawer to add intensity. He gave one to each of them and cleared his throat. He told a much more grim version from a book he read when he was younger called Over The Garden Wall. May and Brendan sat white-faced and white-knuckled the whole time. In this version, Greg and Wirt actually did get killed by the beast. Near the end, Steven secretly released the Shuppet he'd found lurking beneath the house a few days ago. "'How are we ever going to get home?!' Greg cried."

The Shuppet came up behind them, a cold passing over the room.

The two turned slowly to look behind them.

"You're not."

Shuppet used it's Scary Face and Steven was sure that the neighbors could hear their screams they were so loud.

Steven was cracking up so hard he thought his lungs would burst.

"Oh my Arceus!" May breathed.

"Dude, that is so unfair!" Brendan crossed his arms.

May began to laugh. "Come on, Brendan, be a good sport. Steven totally got us."

He was still angry. "I don't want to tell scary stories anymore."

"Fine with me," said Steven smugly, returning the Shuppet to it's ball.

"Then what should we do?" May asked both to herself and the others.

"Mr. Stone, are you quite alright?" Martinov asked as he descended the stairs.

Steven nodded. "Yeah, haha, we were just telling stories. Thanks for checking, though."

He gave him a small nod and went back upstairs.

"Oh! I got it!" exclaimed May. "We should totally play the game!"

Brendan snapped and pointed at her. "Hell yes! I completely forgot about it!"

_Oh no. _"What game?"

"Never Have I Ever," they said in unison. Steven didn't know what made him feel more sick, the fact that they were actually _wanted _to play that terrible game or that they spoke at the same time.

"Well, bye." He went to get up, but May pulled him down.

"Come on, Steven. It'll be fun!"

He groaned.

"Please?" she gave him the eyes again.

Sighing, he said, "Yeah, okay, fine. I haven't played in years, but I'll give it a go."

"Okay, put your hands up," said Brendan.

Steven didn't remember this part. "What are you talking about?"

He rolled his eyes. "You put up your hands and you put down a finger for each time you've done what the question says."

Steven shook his head and waved his hand. "No, no, no. If we're going to play this game, we're going to play it right."

He found a bottle of tequila in the cupboard and three shot glasses. Not quite enough, but, to his delight, there was a pen on top of Mrs. Tuffette's cookbook. Speaking of Mrs. Tuffette, Steven was sure she would've come beat him on the head with something or other for scaring her. She hadn't made dinner yet, either. Maybe she was off to see her husband.

He sat back down, both of the others wielding their flashlights to see. Steven was quite used to walking around in the dark himself.

"Alright, new rules. Every time a person has done something mentioned in the question, they have to drink," Steven explained, passing out shot glasses and filling them half-way. "Since you're kiddies, we'll take half-shots."

"Whaaaat," Brendan protested, but May didn't complain.

"Trust me, you'll thank me later."

"Rock-Paper-Scizors to go first?" May offered.

Steven really did feel like a kid around these people.

"Rock, Paper, Scizors!"

Scizors, scizors, rock.

"Yay!" Brendan cheered. "We'll go clockwise. Alright, I'll get the first one out of the way. Never have I ever had sex with a man."

Nobody drank.

"Good, my turn!" said May. "Never have I ever had sex with a woman."

At this one, Steven drank but Brendan did not.

"What?!" they both said at once. "With who?"

"I normally wouldn't answer that question, but... You do know I used to date a prostitute."

"Oh, dude, nice!" he went to high five him, but Steven was not going to return it because it wasn't something he was proud of. May punched him in the arm. He knocked it back, marked his hand, and poured himself another one.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. I didn't have any paper or enough shot glasses, so we have to write our scores on our hands," Steven said and continued with the game. "Let's see... Never have I ever..." This was proving to be more difficult than he originally thought.

"Pick up the pace!" Brendan said impatiently.

Steven ignored him. "Never have I ever... blown anything up."

Brendan drank and marked himself. They all laughed.

"Okay, okay," said Brendan through giggles. "Never have I ever thrown up from drinking too much."

Both Steven and May drank.

"What? May!" Brendan scolded.

"If you didn't want to know, you shouldn't have asked. Next question," May said. "Never have I ever... kissed a toad."

"Aw, May! That was one time! One! Time!" Brendan drank.

"Okay, never have I ever... cut class."

Steven drank. They looked at him funny. "I hate school," he put simply. "Never have I ever... Swam in the ocean."

Both of them drank. "Really?"

"That's crazy dude. It's so much fun," said Brendon. "Alright then, never have I ever smoked anything."

Steven and May drank.

"Well, I'm learning some things about you that I never thought of before, May," Brendon said. Steven was also interested in this May that he'd never known before.

"I had this boyfriend once... never mind. Well, never have I ever done hard-core drugs."

Steven drank.

The two did a double-take. "Seriously?" gasped Brendan.

"Oh my Arceus! Which one?"

Ha. Which 'one'. "I'm not at liberty to say. Never have I ever done a no-shave November."

"Oh, yeah?" Brendan knocked a shot back. "Well _I've _never been a Champion."

"Oh, come on!"

"Boo! Boooo!"

This went on for a few more turns until everyone was just pinpointing things that the other two had most definitely done and Brendan got mad and went to go lay on the couch, which he then proceeded to pass out and snore like a freight train.

"Someone can't hold his liquor," Steven joked.

He didn't notice it, until then, but May was leaning against him. "Yeah, haha... Say, did you really do all those things you said?" May was slurring her words at that point. What a couple of lightweights.

Steven hesitated, but nodded.

"Okay..." she said and rested her head on his shoulder.

"May?"

No answer.

He chuckled to himself. He couldn't very well leave her there especially if Brendan woke up (which he was pretty sure wouldn't happen anytime soon) so he scooped her up in his arms and carried her downstairs, thankful that she was so light.

He layed her on her bed and pulled the blankets up over her. She was pretty dang adorable.

He sighed. "Good night, Maybird," he said and left.


	9. Lazy Days

I'm sorry for not posting a chapter last night. It was partially because this chapter's a little longer than the usual and partially because one of my main motivators to write is looking at the feedback from my reviews and last time I only had two reviews (thanks to loli-belle and Sakura Touko by the way). It's just a weird thing with my brain where if I don't get much feedback I feel like I'm just writing to thin air and eventually lose interest in writing so... I just want you to know that I look forward to reviews every day and a minute or so of your time can help make my day which in turn helps me get more chapters out faster for you all! So in short, don't forget to leave a review!

Let me also at this time apologize for the suckishness of this chapter. Really, I do. I think I've just been so pumped for the next chapter that I haven't really been taking the time with making this one that good and also these bouts of melancholy have been overtaking me lately...

Well, you guys don't want my excuses! You want chapters, am I right? Yeeeeah! Well, here it is, like it or not, chapter 9!

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><p>Chapter 9: Lazy Days<p>

The next morning Steven woke up at around ten o'clock feeling really... peaceful. The sun was glistening through the stained glass double doors making an array of colors on the walls and floor. He could hear Taillows chirping outside sweetly and for once the Aron was not laying on this leg but curled up beside him.

He stretched, got out of bed, pulled on some flannel pants, and went to find May (if she was even awake, that was).

Brendan (whom he'd completely forgotten about until just then) was still snoring on the couch. Martinov was in the kitchen carrying some of the boxes of pizza. He looked in Steven's direction and explained, "The fish has gone rotten."

Steven nodded, then noticed something different. "Say Martinov... Where's Mrs. Tuffette?"

"Her husband has come back from sea, sir," he told him.

"Ah..." Steven said, then asked something that had been bugging him for a long while. "Do you, uh, remember his name?"

"Her husband? I believe it's Mr. Briney, sir."

"That's right! Thanks Martinov," he said and went to go see May. Her bedroom door was wide open, but she was nowhere to be found.

He went back up the stairs. "Have you seen May?"

"Yes, she's in the garden, sir."

"You're the best, Martinov!"

Steven went through May's bedroom to get to the garden since it was the fastest way and saw her sitting in the crook of a chair that was completely round and hanging from a rope, sort of like an extremely large and fancy tire swing with cushions. One bare leg was hanging off the side, twirling it's blue-striped, sock covered ankle. She was scratching a pencil on a page in what he assumed was a notebook.

The chair wasn't in a position to be facing him, so Steven, sneaking as quietly as he could manage, took the back of it with two hands and pushed it fairly hard.

May squealed and Steven laughed. When it came back to him, he spun it. "STEVEN!" she screamed angrily.

He stopped it abruptly and kneeled down beside her, unintentionally almost meeting her face. Why, if his better judgement hadn't gotten ahold of him, he might've just... Well, Steven thanked his better judgement. His face turned a little pink. "What're you writing?" he asked, still quite close, but not as close.

"Ah-oh, um, not writing really..." her face flushed a deeper shade. "Actually I was just... drawing."

"Ooh, can I take a look?" He lightly placed his hand on the book, which May grabbed right away. They were both about the color of ripe strawberries at this point.

"I, um, I mean-" she released his hand and put it to one of her cheeks, brushing her hair over the other one it hide it and discreetly turning the page. "-you... I guess so." She handed it to him. There was a half-drawn yet gorgeous sketch of the garden.

"Wow, May... this is amazing!" he beamed.

"Really?" she returned the smile.

"Of course." Just then, Steven heard May's stomach rumble.

"Pizza?" he asked, though he really didn't want any.

She made a face. "I don't know if I can eat pizza again, I might have to go get something else from the store or something."

"Nah, that's fine," he got up and brushed his knees off. "We should go out. I know a great little bakery that we don't even have to go into town for."

May brightened up. "Well then, what are we doing here?"

The walk to Fairy Bakery was pleasant. They breeze warned of winter, but Steven and May were both warm, mostly because all that May had brought with her was a hoodie and Steven wouldn't allow her to freeze to death so insisted she borrow one of his coats.

A sweet lady with very big eyelashes and lots of blush took their order of three chocolate croissants and two large coffees, one black and one with lots of cream and sugar. While they waited, Steven looked at the cork board containing many different papers of all colors, sizes, and shapes. There were two pets with thousand dollar rewards, business advertisements and cards, and a missing person's ad with a ridiculous reward. Steven tore it down.

"What was that?" May asked.

Steven shook his head. "Nothing important."

She shrugged and took the hot drinks and went to a little table by the window.

May was vigorously stirring the heaps of sugar and cream into her drink while Steven warmed his hands on his cup. "So, um... How much of last night do you remember?"

"Most of it. Why?"

"Define 'most of it'. Like, what's the last Never Have I Ever question you remember or do you remember all of them?"

"Ohh, I see," she grinned. "You want to know if I remember all that bad stuff you said you did. Well, I do."

"Ah," was all he could muster. He tapped his fingertips on his cup.

"Though one of those questions had me thinking. I've never really been to a dance-type-thing that wasn't like a harvest hoedown or something."

"'Harvest hoedown'?" Steven said skeptically.

She puffed. "I come from a little town in the country. Deal with it."

"So, what are you getting at?" he laughed.

"I want to go to Chinch-U."

Steven almost spit out his coffee, but not because of May's words. Three girls from his school just walked through the door.

He cleared his throat. "Will you excuse me for a moment? I need to use the restroom..." Steven said and left as quickly as possible without arousing any suspicion or drawing any attention to himself.

He got his Pokenav out from his pocket and texted may.

_Steven: Tell me when they leave._

He waited for a reply.

_May: Dude, what are you doing?_

_Steven: Trust me._

_May: They're sitting down._

Steven cursed.

_Steven: Okay, just pretend you don't know me._

_May: What are you talking about?!_

_Steven: Again, I'm going to have to ask you to trust me._

_May: You're being ridiculous!_

_Steven: Please._

_May: Uggggghghghghghghghgh_

Those girls would _ruin _May if they knew she was associated with him.

He stepped out cautiously and ordered another black coffee, sitting down at a table as far away from those girls as he could. And would you know it, they were actually sitting down and talking to May. He pretended to be studying something interesting on his Pokenav.

"...yeah, is your boyfriend late or something?" the tall brunette asked.

"Ah, yeah. He's got work and a lot of the time he has to work over-time."

"Aww, that's cute," she told her like she was a puppy. Disgusting. "Are you new?"

"Um... Yeah, I guess so. I just moved here and I'm going to the college."

The short one glanced over to Steven, glanced back and did a double take. She tapped the shoulders of her two other friends.

"Omiarceus," said the one with pigtails. "Look who it is." Steven didn't look.

"A word of advice, kid," the Brunette told May, "avoid that son of a bitch like the black plague. Come on, girls, let's go eat on my terrace. We don't want to catch anything from that loser. Of course, you're welcome to come, May," she added.

"Oh, no thank you. I think I'll wait a little while longer for my boyfriend," she smiled, but without warmth.

"Suit yourself. Just don't let _him _come near you. Toodles," she said and left.

After a good, solid two minutes, Steven finally went back over to May, starting on the new coffee because he'd just finished the last.

"What the fuck even just happened?"

Steven sighed. "I'm sort of on the blacklist at the college, mostly because of disputes between Devon and the parents of most of the other students and I didn't want you involved."

She took a sip of her coffee. "Do I look like I care what mean girls say at all?"

Steven shook his head. "No, you don't understand. These girls _actually have the power _to put you on the blacklist not just in college but for your whole life. If your parents are lower on the business hierarchy than them at all, it can actually affect you. And there's a lot more where they came from."

She chewed her croissant and made a face. "Nope."

"What do you mean, 'nope'?"

"I'm not going to let them scare me."

"May, this is serious."

"Too bad. I'm not just going to pretend I don't know you that's just... stupid. Plus, I still don't care. At all."

Steven frowned, but May ate the last of her croissant and crossed her arms, telling him that it wasn't up to debate. Steven was filled with regret.

"I need a dress," May said suddenly.

"You just got six new ones."

"I need one for clubbing. None of those will work, I don't think."

"For clu- oh." May was still on the subject of Chinch-U. "Are you sure? That place is crawling with degenerates."

"Well, if my good name's already going to be slandered by hanging out with you, the worst of them all, I might as well go all the way," she joked.

_The worst of them all. _He chuckled. _Honey, you have no clue. _"Well, if you're that set on it, we can see about getting you a dress when we go pick up your clothes which should be ready by now.

"Done by now? You serious?" she said in disbelief.

"You saw how fast he works. He should at least have one outfit done by now."

The streets were almost entirely empty, so they had a nice walk along the tiled streets to the tailor. Mr. Wiggins was pumping his petal as usual, hunched over his work.

"Steven, May! Good to hear you," he said. "I have your outfits on Rack E."

Steven went to go fetch them while May spoke to Mr. Wiggins. "Mr. Wiggins, how quickly can you get a dress finished?"

He cracked his neck. "When do you need it by?"

"Um, well... tonight, I suppose."

"When?"

"I guess around eight?"

He sighed. "Sorry, darlin'. I just got a huge order in and I don't think I'll be able to work anything in before tomorrow."

"Oh... that's okay. Thanks anyways."

"Not a problem."

Steven was having some trouble. Not only were there several pieces to the outfits but there were hat boxes and shoe boxes and boxes of accessories to go with them. "May," he called.

She turned and rushed toward the slipping boxes that were piled high in his arms, catching one just before it hit the ground.

"Careful," he heard Mr. Wiggins say.

"Here, you take the actual clothing and I'll take the boxes."

The two of them together were able to get everything by themselves, though Steven could barely see over the boxes.

"Thanks Mr. Wiggins!" they said and left.

Steven immediately found a bench to set his boxes down and opened the Pokeball containing Skarmory. "Skarmory, will you take some of these home?" He took the two heaviest boxes and set them in front of the metal bird. He picked them up, one in each claw, and carried them away.

Steven took May's plastic bag-covered clothes in one arm, carrying the remaining boxes in the other. They weren't actually all that heavy now. He wondered what was in those boxes that made them so heavy.

"No, no. You're not carrying all that by yourself." May tried to take the boxes from him but failed.

"Seriously, I can do it. I'm stronger than I look, you know," he tried to convince her.

She pouted, but didn't protest any further. "What are we going to do about my dress? Can't we just go to a department store or something?"

"Most definitely not. You show up in anything that's got a tag on it and you might get skinned alive."

"Then do you expect me to do?"

He sighed, not meeting her eyes. "Ask me again around 9 tonight."

The rest of their day was really relaxing. Steven and May mostly sat in the garden, May sketching in her swinging chair, Steven doing homework, reading, and writing some reports for Devon, both of them snacking on cold, near-stale pizza whenever they felt peckish. They both felt good, though neither talked much. Really good. Better than either of them had in a long, long time.

Finally, when the sun was setting around seven o'clock, Steven got up. "I'm going to go get ready."

"What? Now? We have three hours!"

"It'll probably take me that long to get ready," he expounded and opened the double doors. May shook her head in disbelief. What a princess.

He climbed the stairs and began the lengthy process of getting ready.

Hot water. Shampoo. Conditioner. Soap. Towel. Dry. Gel. Comb. Shave. Wash. Teeth. Moisturize. Clip. Tweeze. Deodorant. Armoire. Black cotton t-shirt. Dark jeans. Black boots.

_Knock, knock._

"Come in."

"Steven," May said awkwardly, hair still wet and in her pajamas. "You um, said you had something for me to wear."

He exhaled. "Only if you promise not to laugh or ask why I have it." He went to the mermaid armoire and pulled a red silk dress from off it's hook. It was dramatically cut in a slanted fashion at the bottom and had one strap that went over one shoulder and ended in a collar-type loop around the neck. "It's not the greatest, but it'll do." He tossed it to May.

She held the material in her hands, feeling the silk. "I'm really curious as to why you have this, but... I guess I won't ask. I will ask, however, if you're done in your bathroom."

Steven gave her a quizzical look. "Er, yeah?"

"Good," she said and closed herself inside of it. Almost as if on cue, he heard the doorbell downstairs ring softly.

Perfect.

He rushed down to greet the Pelipper, signed, and took his package and as he reascended the stairs, ripped it open and put its contents in his pocket.

"Steven!" he heard May call from above.

"Coming!" he replied and rushed up the stairs. The dress was loose, but not half bad. She was holding the strap piece in her hand.

"How do you even do this?" she said irritably.

Steven smiled. "Let me do it. Turn around and hold up your hair."

She turned and Steven took the fabric, wrapping it around her neck then clasping the bits of gold at the ends together. "There."

She turned back around and pulled down on the hem first, then up, down again, and frowned. "It's so short."

He laughed. "You wanted to go clubbing."

May grumbled something Steven couldn't quite understand.

He rolled his eyes. "Come on. Let's look at shoes."

In the end, May chose some black heeled boots, onyx silhouette earrings, silver bangles, and a black rose hairclip. Steven could find no mortal words to describe her beauty in that moment, and it wasn't any of her fancy clothes that made him lose them. He didn't care about anything besides that gorgeous smile, the one he'd missed for so long, that lit up her face and brightened his heart.

* * *

><p>Yeah, I know. Flurp, you're so lame and cheesy! Also your paragraphs are hella short! Sorry. Really, truly sorry. (No sarcasm intended.)<p> 


	10. Chinch-U

Chapter 10 people! Woop woop!

Oh my Arceus, guys. I got to school and sat down in the hallway like usual and would you know it, all the lights went out! Yaaaaay! So, I'm home today trying to put out a chappy before my power shuts down.

Thanks for the reviews everyone! I love you. So much. Like, you don't even know.

I was actually going to link this chapter and the last together, but I was already a day late with the last one and I didn't want to make you guys wait another day, so here this one is. It's pretty short, so you can just count it as an extension of the last one.

This one is... A little more on the T side of the rating, fair warning. It's not really graphic at all, but... Just a fair warning. Here it is, folks: The chapter of the nightowls! Or should I say Noctowls? ;D

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><p>Chapter 10: Chinch-U<p>

The sun was entirely gone and the moon had come out, thus beginning the time of the nightowls dressed in feathers, fur, and silk, making their way down the lamp-lit streets and flocking to the nearest booze serving establishments.

Among them was a couple that seemed to blend in and stick out at the same time. They looked ravishing even in the darkness, lighting the streets with their smiles. Their names were May and Steven.

"So, I have a question," giggled May.

"I might have an answer," replied Steven.

May's arm was hooked in Steven's, but she was also leaning on him for support since she wasn't quite used to wearing heels. "Why do I have to wear a dress and you get to go all casual?"

"It's a Chinch-U thing. I know, it's really sexist, but that's just how they do it."

"What bastards," she giggled.

They passed by the Pizza Jim's on their way and Steven slipped an unmarked package filled with cash into the mail slot. May didn't really notice, or if she did she didn't say anything about it.

The two arrived at the end of the long line. Steven grabbed his wallet from the inside of his pocket and pulled his ID out.

"Wait, Steven. Is this a twenty-one and over club?" May's heart caught in her chest with panic.

"Don't worry about it," Steven said, fishing the contents of the earlier package out of his other pocket and handing it to May. It was a fake ID.

"How did you...?"

"I know a guy. Really top of the line fakes." He shrugged.

She clenched her jaw. "Are you sure this is okay? I mean, it's really illegal!" she whispered frantically.

"Maybird, a lot of the people in here are underage and the door people don't really look at things all that carefully. Besides, I've been going here since I was fifteen and I've never once gotten caught."

"O-okay..." She clutched it tightly.

Steven gave her arm a squeeze for comfort. "Just relax and pretend you know exactly what you're doing. They won't suspect a thing."

They reached the entrance and, just as Steven said, the large man at the door barely glanced at the ID.

The inside was huge and dark besides the hot pink neon bar and the flashing lights being projected from the ceiling. Steven glanced over at May's hanging mouth and smiled. "Where do you want to go first?"

She grinned wide. "Bar."

"It's not as crowded as usual since it's a Monday," Steven said over the loud music, sitting on a barstool, "but this place always has people in it. It has a floor show every night at eleven on weekdays, twelve on weekends."

"Oh, really?" May said equally loudly. "That sounds cool, we should watch. What time is it?"

He looked at his watch. "About ten 'til. It's not very good, but they try-OH DEAR ARCEUS."

May jumped. "What? What?"

"BRENDAN. WE FORGOT ABOUT BRENDAN."

"OH SHIT!" May cursed.

"Well, I guess it's too late, now. I hope he made it home safely." Despite Steven's earlier anger toward the boy, he'd actually become sort of fond of him in a hateful sort of way. Kind of like Selenium.

"Me too..." said May worriedly.

The ten minutes rolled by quickly, and the two heard, "Are you ready?" yelled into the microphone by a woman onstage.

"Yeaaah!" the dancers yelled back.

"Let's get it!"

Music began to play and scantily-clad women stepped out from behind the curtains, swinging their hips to the beat. "They only have female strippers," Steven said to May.

"This club is so sexist!" she laughed.

Their pole dancers were nothing more than ordinary. Basically all they did was twerk and their poles couldn't have been taller than eight feet. The floor ladies weren't that good either. Steven recognized a few of them from his school.

"I didn't realize this was amateur hour," Steven whispered to May who was swinging back and forth on her spinning bar stool.

She giggled. "I think they're pretty good."

"Most definitely not. Someday you should go to Dustoxic. Now _that's _a show."

"Maybe we can go next weekend," she offered.

"Haha, no. You should probably wait until you're actually twenty-one for that one."

"Psh," she brushed off. "I'm not scared of _them_."

"It's not a matter of being scared, Maybird," he warned casually and took another long swig of his beer.

"What's it like then?"

He finished the beer. "Most everyone's on drugs, people literally having sex in the middle of the floor, fire breathers, both male and female strippers... I could go on."

She laughed much too loudly. Steven wondered how many shots she'd taken.

"Can you dance?" she asked suddenly.

Steven thought on this for a few moments, eventually shaking his head. "I can waltz, but I can't dance to anything like this," he pointed upwards, referring to the fast pop and techno.

"You hesitated, so you're lying!" she accused and took his arm. He threw back a quick shot and put the glass back on the table before being completely dragged way.

He was pulled in the middle of the fray. "I'm not just going to go to a club and not dance!" May yelled over the much louder music and started to dance.

In an effort to save his voice, Steven just nodded and just sort of swayed.

"Come on, Steven! Just do what everyone else is doing!"

Steven sighed. "Give me a minute," he told her and rushed to the bar, ordering three shots and drinking each one, one after the other.

He shook himself, slapped himself, and went to join May.

He started full-on dancing with her. "Where did you learn how to dance like that?" May asked, actually shocked.

He laughed. "I told you I've been coming here since I was fifteen! I could ask you the same!"

"Harvest hoedowns!" May said and the two laughed and laughed.

They danced like that until the wee hours of the morning, falling down on each other and snorting because they were laughing so hard.

They merrily stumbled home at around four in the morning, singing loudly.

"Where the fuck is my room?" May slurred as they stepped into the mansion and they both about burst with laughter.

Steven could barely remember himself, so they just stumbled around in the dark for awhile until they finally found it.

Once inside, May pulled Steven onto her bed and into a tight kiss. Steven had wanted to kiss her for years but... something was wrong about it.

One of her hands was clutching his hair, the other at the hem of his boxers. He pulled away. "May, no," he protested.

"Oh, come on, Steven..." she whined and kissed him again.

"No, May, it's not right." He detached himself from her again. His mind was racing and almost every part of his being was screaming _yes, _but Steven couldn't bring himself to go any further. He took her shoulders lightly and looked in her huge, beautiful eyes. "May. You are drunk. You need to go to sleep. Okay?"

"But-"

"No buts." Steven opened the neatly folded covers and, for the second night in a row, picked May up and tucked her underneath them. "Now you go straight to sleep. You only have like... four hours until classes start, and you're gonna need your rest."

She sighed sadly and nodded.

"It's all going to be okay, alright?" Steven comforted her. He kissed her on the forehead and went to go nap himself before the grueling torture of college began.


	11. Meet the Family

Hey all! I know. I know, I know. It's been long. Much too long. Much much too too long. From the bottom of my heart, I am so sorry. The delay was a mixture of sickness and business with a pinch of procrastination, but I'm here now.

While making this chapter (another reason for the delay) my computer was being so incredibly laggy that I kind of just rage-typed through it without worrying too much about grammatical and punctuation errors and corrected it afterwards, so a fair warning, you might find some. If you find anything too big to pass up, though, please let me know and I'll fix it.

(If you all have read some of my other stories, you might recognize my recurring character I put in there.)

I love all the characters in this one so much, so it is with a full heart that I release this chapter unto you, my lovely readers, chapter 11!

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><p>Chapter 11: Meet the Family<p>

"Mr. Stone. Mr. Stone."

"I'm sleeping, go away..."

"Mr. Stone, you have twenty minutes before your first class starts."

Steven sat bolt upright, wincing at the sun. His first thought? "May. Is May awake? She needs-"

"Miss May has been awake for an hour, sir," Martinov informed him.

"An hour?!" Steven said exasperatedly. "Why did you wake her up before me?"  
>"Miss May got up when I first asked her to. You've been falling back asleep every fifteen minutes for an hour," he explained.<p>

Steven threw his covers off. "Martinov, the curtains."

The man untied the ropes around the heavy curtains and they went cascading down. Steven went to the armoire, grabbing the first thing he saw and praying that it would look alright. "Thank you, Martinov," he said, whipping out two pairs of sunglasses and putting one of them on.

"You're welcome," he replied, bowed, and left the room.

Once dressed, he grabbed his backpack from beside the armoire and the eon flute from his bedside table and practically sprinted down the stairs yelling for May.

"What?" he heard come sleepily from the kitchen.

He banked right and into the kitchen, finding May stirring her cereal drowsily and Mrs. Tuffette leaning over her and lecturing her about the importance of breakfast.

"Steven, good morning. I was just telling this young lady about-"

"No time, Mrs. Tuffette," Steven said quickly, giving May a pair of sunglasses with one hand an grabbing her arm with the other. "We have to go now," he told May and dragged her out of the kitchen.

"What-?" she tried to question, but Steven cut her off.

"School. Now."

They winded their way down the staircase and flew out the double doors. Steven released her hand and played the eon flute. A little blue figure came into view.

May gasped quietly. "No way," she whispered.

Steven couldn't help but crack a smile, taking her hand again to help her onto the creature when it arrived, or so he told himself.

I swooped low, picking them up along with it. May put her arms around Steven. "Remind you of anything?" he asked.

May wrapped her arms around him tighter. "Yeah," she breathed.

Steven could see everything from there. All of the people going to work, all of the frantic students trying to get to class, the frantic students trying to get to class. It felt really... nice. He was above the hustle and bustle of the big city, nothing could get to him here. It was just him, Latios, May, and the open air.

All too soon, Latios landed, six minutes to spare. "What's your first class, May?" Steven asked, walking alongside her briskly.

"I think... Cellular Physiology. But we left in such a hurry that I forgot my backpack back at the house, so I can't be sure," she said worriedly.

Steven did a double take. "Whoa, whoa, hold up. Cellular Physiology? What the did you say you were majoring in?"

"Pokemon Physiology. I'm going to work for Professor Birch when this is all over," she said simply, then added, "that is, if my fashion career doesn't take off first."

Steven opened his bag and gave her a notebook and a pencil to borrow. "You're not... majoring in fashion, though?" This was definitely new to Steven. He had no idea she was into science. It was actually... "Very interesting." ...kind of sexy.

"Interesting how?" May asked.

"Oh, look, your class! Well, see you at lunch Maybird," he said while walking quickly away from her. "Byeeeee."

Steven could hear May make an angry noise behind him, but she didn't say anything. He let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding in in a sigh.

Steven made it into his business management class just as the professor picked up his chalk. He gave Steven a bored look and started scribbling madly on the board.

He took a seat in the back corner, leaned back in his chair, put his arms behind his head, and took a nice, long nap.

In Steven's next class, he did basically the same. He was awakened by the buzzing of his Pokenav.

He rubbed his eyes open sleepily. The dark green room was almost entirely empty, save for a few stragglers who were quickly finishing notes... or something. Steven didn't really know, nor did he really care.

He felt it buzz again. "Okay, okay..." he told it and flipped it open. "Hello?"

"_Steven," _he heard May's voice say. "_What're we doing for lunch?"_

He shook the sleep out of himself. "What room are you in?"

There was a pause. "_250."_

_All the way across the school, _he thought and sighed. "Stay there, I'll pick you up."

People snickered left and right as he passed but Steven held his head high. He didn't make eye contact or listen to their comments, not today. And it was all mostly thanks to May.

He finally found her in her top-of-the-line cream dress with furred accents, black silk tights, and muddy, yellow rainboots leaning casually against a wall and people-watching. "Hey there, stranger," she said when she met his eye and beamed. Steven's heart melted.

"Hey, you know, speaking of strangers, this is the last chance you have to regard me as one. After this you'll be taking the low road if you choose to stay, you know," he warned.

She smiled. "The low road it is then. To tell you the truth, I might get a bit light-headed on the high road from the altitude and I'm really not much for yellow brick ones either. Clashes with my boots too much," she joked and lifted one boot.

"Well, lucky for you to get to the cafe we only have to take the concrete sidewalk."

She pouted. "Lucky? It's boring, really. Where are the diamonds? Where is the platinum and gold?"

"Have you seen any of the girls walking around yet here?"

They laughed and began walking down the path. "How were your first classes?" asked May.

"Wonderful, actually," Steven said, and it was the truth.

"Really? What happened?"

"Steven chuckled. "I have no idea."

May hit him on the arm."Why not?"

"Er, what happened in your classes?" he tried to change the subject.

"Not a chance! What did you do?" she pried, eyes big.

"Well, I took a nap, okay? Now tell me what your classes were about."

She groaned. "Do you know how many people would kill to go to this school and all you can think about is missed hours of sleep?"

"Trust me, I'd switch places with any of them any day," he said.

She grumbled something almost inaudibly, then going on in full voice said, "I have a lot to catch up on in my classes. In fact, if you're so bored with yours, why don't you help me with some of my homework?"

Steven scratched the back of his head and opened the tall class door. "Yeah, I don't think that's anything a Business major could help you with. I mean, I'm minoring in Geology, but that's a totally different science..." Steven trailed off. May was no longer listening, but gaping at the size and fanciness of the cafeteria. Its tables were set in white tablecloths with various flowers in vases. There were six different mini-restaurants all with staff dressed in immaculate uniforms.

"It's like a gigantic five-star restaurant..." she breathed

"Er... so do you want to eat at one of these places or are you just gonna stand there catching flies?" Steven joked.

May punched him and took his arm, dragging him over to the nearest one. "Do I just... order?"

Steven laughed. "No, we just sit and wait for the waiter to take our orders."

"Waiter," she mouthed.

"Heyyyy Steven!" said a low voice. The owner of it crashed into him in a hug. "We thought you were going back to Mossdeep, dude!"

"Actually," said a girl in all black, "Jeff was worried. I knew you wouldn't ditch us just like that and incur my wrath."

"Never, Jessica," Steven said with some difficulty through the bear hug. The huge, hairy man stepped away. He was wearing a bright yellow t-shirt with a little orange torchic silhouette on it and a bright grin on his face.

"Ah, yes," Steven said, coughing. "Jessica, Jeff, this is May."

May was still looking around the room when she snapped to attention at hearing her name spoken. "Oh, um hi."

Jessica and Jeff both gave each other sinister grins and said in unision, "Ohhhhhh," putting an arm around her on each side.

"I've definitely never heard Steven say your name around us ever. You new?" Jessica said, looking like a hungry hyena.

_I fucked up, I fucked up, I fucked up, I fucked up, _Steven thought, terrified.

"No, not at all! Come, sit down," Jeff said to May, leading her to a table.

"Yes," chimed in Jessica, "tell us about yourself."

Steven tried to jump this quickly sinking ship. "You know, I think I'm just gonna skip lunch-"  
>"Oh, no you don't," she whispered so only he could hear and put a strong, clawed hand on his shoulder a little too firmly. "Oh, Steven, hun, we want to hear all about Miss May and we don't want you to miss out!" she said uncharacteristically sickly-sweetly and sat him down in a chair across from May.<p>

_What did I do to deserve this? _he cried silently.

"So May, how did you and Steven meet?" Jeff asked, batting his eyelashes and placing his chin on his huge, hairy hands.

May looked so disoriented and Steven was sure the strange question and gesture weren't making her any less confused. "I... There was a cave with some paintings in itand he was... studying it or something..." May wasn't focused on anything the two were saying. She wa still trying to comprehend everything that was happening. Steven was sinking in his seat.

"Oooh, how romant-"

"My turn! How did you end up going to this horrible place?" asked Jessica, her bright blues shining.

"What? No, it's not... terrible at all it's actually... lovely," she said.

"Okay, me, me, me! When did you guys first kiss?" Jeff said, practically on the table.

"What-?"

"OKAY, that's enough for Q&A," Steven cut in loudly. "Say, where's Candy?"

As if on cue, the whirlwind of pink came crashing through the door. "Steven! Hey hun, Me and Jeffy thought you were gonna leave forever when you didn't show yesterday! Oh, and guess what? I totally aced my midterm! YAAAY!" she bounced and looked over at May. "Speaking of guessing which kind of sounds like guest if you take off the 't' (that's how I got that if _you _didn't get that), who's our guest?"

Steven spoke in a list, something all of them found themselves doing while hanging around Candy. "One: Still here, thanks for your concern though. Two: That's great, Candy. Three-"

"_Three," _Jeff cut in, "this is May."

Candy gasped. "_The_ May? Oh my Arceus I am so honored to meet you!" she said, vigorously shaking May's hand.

"We were just asking May some questions," Jessica filled her in.

"Really? Did you ask her when they first kissed yet?" she asked, still bouncing lightly.

"She was in the middle of answering that question before Steven so rudely interrupted," Jessica said stirring her lobster bisque casually.

"Well, what is it, babe?" Candy stared intently.

"I..." May looked like a deer in the headlights. "What does that really have to do with?"

"Everything!" the three said in unison, all in different levels of intensity.

"Um... years ago, before Steven left," she said.

They all cried out an "OHHHH!" and started cracking up. Steven wished he could die.

Candy wiped a tear from her eye. "May, we totally have to take a picture together!"

She gave her a puzzled look.

Candy pulled out a big book from her bag.

"Aw, here we go again!" said Jeff.

"Man," said Jessica practically at the same time as Jeff.

"Quiet, you two! May, I have this photo album I keep of all my bestest friends and I want you to be in it!"

"More like every stranger you see on the street..." grumbled Jeff.

"Oh, okay..." May said, taking the book and looking through the pictures. She giggled at a picture of all of them as little kids. Steven was trying to see what she was seeing but couldn't around Candy.

There was just one person that was in most of the pictures that May didn't recognize. "Who's the guy with the purple hair?"

Candy closed the book quickly, her smile gone. As May looked around at everyone, all of the blood was drained from their faced.

Jeff gulped. "Oh, no, no. We don't... we don't talk about..."  
>"Jacque..." Jessica whispered.<p> 


	12. Duskstone

What, you didn't forget, did you?

* * *

><p>Chapter 12: Duskstone<p>

Duskstone dried his hair messily and looked himself in the mirror. The eyes staring back at him were his own, and he knew it. It just amazed him how many people had come into contact with him yet had never seen them.

It was a work day, just like any other for Duskstone. He dried his legs and slipped into his leather and spandex pants. They were made to look like they were one hundred percent leather and still allowed a full range of movement. The only pair of its kind, as far as he knew.

He dried his hair one last time and took the purple spray dye from the shabby cupboard below the sink. He covered his face with a plastic mask and sprayed it all over his hair.

Duskstone was a legend to those who had never been to Dustoxic. To those who had, he was a mystery. He showed up out of nowhere to work, insisting in being paid in cash and the rave drug Mewtwo to feed his addiction. No one ever saw his face or heard his voice. When he needed to speak, he spoke in sign language.

Duskstone took the excess dye off with a towel, removed the dying mask from his face and replaced it with a half-black and half-white one with simple features and mesh eyeholes. He wore the same thing every time he worked: leather pants and his signature mask. Nothing more, nothing less.

He looked at himself one last time, then checked the clock above the mirror. Time to go.

He wore a hoodie and sweatpants outside which wasn't unusual in this part of Mossdeep. It was quiet as he wound through the corners and the darkest alleys. Nobody usually dared to go through them except the most murderous of gang members who usually did their deals at around two in the morning.

At last he spotted the manhole that he went through every night to gain passage unseen into the back alley of an abandoned building almost right next to Dustoxic.

He climbed down and removed a brick in the wall, stuffing his sweats and tennis shoes inside the large hole. The sewer didn't smell the best, but it was the best way to get around unseen.

After a long walk down the narrow concrete path barefoot, Duskstone found his manhole. He peeped through the cracks. The coast was clear.

He wasted no time pulling himself out of it and onto the ground, quickly composing himself and ducking into the back entrance of the club.

Die Enteiwoord was blaring through the speakers. Duskstone entered a small room where he knew the owner of the club would be.

The grotesque man was sitting in a chair, smoking a cigar and covered with semi-naked girls. _You wanted to see me, _Duskstone signed.

"Ah, yes. I just wanted to tell you, people are looking for you, Dusky. You'd better watch your back," he said, then took another long drag of his cigar.

_Thank you, sir, _he signed.

"I just don't want anyone taking my main pole from me, got it? Now get your ass out there. You start in five minutes."

_Yes, sir._

He closed the door quietly and stood behind the big purple curtain waiting. Some of the strippers nodded toward him in greeting. He nodded back and wondered what was going through their heads right now. Wondered what they really thought of him.

The song started playing and the male strippers all went out in an orderly line to do their part of the routine. The stage was bright but the poles were pitch-dark. Now was his time to get out before the first drop.

He rushed as quietly as he could and took position. The lights came on. First drop, Duskstone dropped.

He rather liked being on the pole. It paid almost as well as stripping, you could do basically whatever you wanted, and you didn't really have to deal with all the touching and grabbing from the audience. Besides, Duskstone was _good_ at what he did.

Second drop. Duskstone twirled up the 30-foot pole like a sexed-up Cirque de Soleil. The crowd (those who were paying attention, anyway) was now looking only toward him, paying no mind to the others and cheering. He didn't know it, but half of those people were there just to see him, the infamous masked pole dancer.

He twirled and danced up that pole until around four in the morning, his usual hour.

People screamed and cried as he went, but he payed no mind to them. He saw what happened to the dancers in Dustoxic that did.

The boss was out in the open backstage, a rare occurrence. "Aww, Duskstone!" he said in his gravelly voice, encasing him in a grubby hug.

Duskstone pulled away as quickly as he could. "Ah, that's right, you don't like physical contact. Well, speaking of contact, I've got some very, eh, convincing," he signed the word '_money'_, "offers from ladies in the club that want to touch you."

_No way, _he signed.

"You don't have whore yourself out, you just gotta dance with the strippers. One night."

Duskstone shook his head.

"The way I've got this set up, they won't be able to touch your mask," his boss tried to convince.

Duskstone weighed the pros and cons. Finally, he looked up and signed '_cut'._

"I'll give you ten percent plus a raise."

He shook his head and signed the word '_half'._

"No way! Fifteen."

_Twenty-five or I'm not doing it._

His boss groaned. "Fine, but you'd better be top of the line, buddy. I don't want no half-assed ass shaking, you got me?"

He signed _OK._

"Good. Now I want you here tomorrow to work on the routine early, you hear?"

He nodded and opened the door to leave. "Any none of your dirty fucking tricks!"

He nodded again and closed the door behind him.


	13. Maskmakers

Hey everyone! I'm sorry about the super late chapter, but I've been procrastinating for lack of inspiration and motive. So I apologize for that.

I don't really have too much to say this time, except this is a pretty short chapter filled with infuriating things. So yeah, here's thirteen for you!

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><p>Chapter 13: Maskmakers<p>

May seemed to panic at the sudden morbidity of the group. "Oh, well, that's fine! Um... Hey, I don't know what's good here! Can you guys help me choose something?" she quickly tried to change the subject.

Everyone seemed to shake themselves and respond happily, but with less cheer than before. The waiter came with their food in no time.

Steven smiled at the face that May made when the water set the food in front of her.

"Well, this certainly isn't mom's meatloaf..." she laughed.

They all gave her strange looks. "What is a meat-loaf?" Candy asked, enunciating the word 'meatloaf' carefully and with a hint of disgust.

She blinked. "You've never had meatloaf?"

Most everyone shook their heads. "I think I have once at my cousin's house, but I don't really remember it too well," said Jeff.

May laughed for a good long time. Steven and the others were perplexed on why, but she had a nice laugh, so Steven didn't mind. Finally, she said, "It's settled, then."

"What?"

"I'm making you all a meatloaf, you funny rich kids," she giggled.

Jeff shrugged. "I'm down."

Candy didn't look so sure herself. "What's in it?"

"It's a secret."

They looked at her weirdly again.

She threw up her arms and rolled her eyes. "Secret family recipe? Arceus, do you people not have those?" she sighed. Steven's jaw clenched at 'you people'. He was afraid that this would happen, that she'd judge him and his friends for their wealth. He just hoped it wouldn't drive her to run from them.

May saw the looks on everyone's faces and tried to help her situation. "No worries, there won't be anything poisonous in it." Little did she know that that was not the reason for their silence.

Jeff cleared his throat. "Well, it sounds great! We'll look forward to it. It looks like we're all going to be late for our next classes if we stay any longer so I'll see you around," he grinned.

The rest of them, also highly skilled in the art of putting on a mask to hide their true feelings put on a happy face for her. "Yes! It was wonderful meeting you, hun!" said Candy.

"Yeah, I hope to see you around," Jessica added in her deep alto.

They all went their separate ways, Steven walking May to her next class andthen setting off on his own filled with worry.

Steven was feeling great after his last class, Geology, one of the few classes he actually cared about. He called May to meet by the fountain in the front of the school.

Right on time, Martinov stood in his full suit in the middle of the beautiful stoned area in front of the school. He was chatting with May, his back completely straight in perfect posture. May looked distraught.

"Hey," Steven said as he walked up the them, scratching the back of his head.

May punched his arm. "What does he mean, 'go home with him'?"

Just then, Candy appeared beside him, bouncing slightly. "Oh, good, I'm glad you didn't forget and leave by mistake."

Steven looked behind him. The others were coming too, jogging and panting to keep up with Candy. She wasn't even breathing abnormally.

"Fucking Arceus, Steven," Jessica swore. Steven knew she hated to run, even though she used to be a boxer. He never could figure out how she was so strong, though, being so bony.

Jeff sucked in a breath. "Candy was worried when you didn't show up at the meeting spot, so she made us-" he breathed, "-go on a hunt for you."

Steven laughed nervously. "Yeah, I suppose I probably should have called..."

"You suppose?" Jessica punched him in the other arm, but unlike May's punch, this one actually hurt.

He rubbed his arm. "Anyway, I have practice today, so you'll have to go home with Martinov."

"Practice for what?" May demanded.

Candy suddenly started hopping up and down and clapping. "My masterpiece! My life! My love!"

"Hey!" Jeff said to her irritatedly, but she wasn't paying attention.

"We're working on a play called-"

"Woah, woah, Candy!" Steven stopped her before she could tell May. "Don't you want to keep it a surprise?" That was the only thing that Steven could think of telling her to get her to keep quiet about it. He wished that May had come just one week later. But alas, he'd just have to find a way to keep her from seeing the play. _It shouldn't be too hard, right? _he thought.

"Oh, what a MARVELOUS idea! Steven, I've completely forgiven your previous faux pas. Oh, I can hardly wait!" she grinned from ear to ear and started bouncing again.

_I could wait for the rest of eternity, _Steven thought. "Well, I will see you later then, May..." Steven turned to leave.

"But I want to go!" she whined.

"You'll just have to wait! I promise, it'll be worth it, though!" Candy waved and skipped away with the rest of them.

Steven was home late. He called for May into the house, but there was no answer.

He went to her room, but she wasn't there. He opened the stained glass doors and scoured the garden for her, but she was nowhere to be found.

A hint of panic stabbed at his stomach. What if she hadn't came home at all?

"Martinov!" he yelled and ran up the stairs. "Martinov!"

"What are you on about?" a small voice asked from the sofa in the living room.

Steven jumped. He scuffled around the couch to find a half-asleep May with an embroidered quilt over her. He breathed a sigh of relief.

She smiled. "That missing vaguely interesting stripper you were talking about on Sunday was just on TV. You should've told me it was a guy, I would've been more interested myself."

Steven's breath caught.

"There was a really fuzzy monkey-cam video of him. Duskstone, I think his name was. It's a pity he's missing, he was really fantastic," she yawned.

Steven cleared his throat. "Yeah, I suppose so."

Martinov came rushing down the stairs. "Yes, sir?"

"Oh, um," Steven's face turned a bit red. "It's nothing, Martinov. Thank you."

He bowed and

"Hey," she draped her arm over the armrest. "You've been to Dustoxic. What was it like to see him? Do you know him?"

Steven sighed heavily and thought of what to say. "No one knows Duskstone. He just appears and disappears. He's a ghost and he'll stay that way."

"How do you know?" May asked.

He paused to think of a response. "Well, they haven't found anything on him yet, have they? They're going to have to give up eventually."

May frowned. "I guess, but what about his clothes?"

Steven looked puzzled. "What about his clothes?"

"They're looking into the material in his pants. They're saying that it's something that was actually invented by Mr. Wiggins, do you believe that? I mean, what if Mr. Wiggins is Duskstone?"

Steven shrugged. "We'll probably never know."

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><p>Please don't forget to review! Like I've said in the past, it really does help my productivity. So, if you want chapters faster, just write me a little note! Thanks, love you guys!<p> 


	14. Win Or Lose

Alright lovelies! Happy holidays and a happy new year to you all! I've been in California visiting family, that's why I haven't been around much but I thought you'd like to know that the first thing I did when I got home was post this new chappy I've been working on all vacation long! I want to thank **werehogdog, Sakura Touko, **and** Reinaa-chan **for all reviewing my last chapter and those of you who have reviewed before that I have not thanked! So please, don't forget to review! Love you guys, and here's your new chapter!

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><p>Chapter 14: Win Or Lose<p>

"Steven, Steven, Steven!" he heard his name called enthusiastically.

May bounded up the stairs and slid on her two different colored socks across the wooden floor. Steven buckled his belt and grabbed his button-up shirt from the bed. "Yeah?" he responded.

"Steven, I know now-" she stopped, furrowed her brow, looked him up and down once, shook herself, and pointed at him with her book. "Mr. Wiggins can't be Duskstone. He's much too tall and bony."

Steven pulled the shirt on and took her book, the yellow one that he recognized as her drawing book, from her outstretched hand. She scrambled to get it back from him, but she was too late. His slender fingers flipped through the pages and he could easily lift it out of her reach.

In the first few pages there were sketches of people he didn't recognize, but they were fantastic. He danced around her as he looked, twisting and turning every time she got close to snatching it out of his hand.

"How do you do that?" she breathed angrily and jumped for it, but Steven was too fast. Next were some pictures of what he recognized as the garden. There were roses with dew on the petals and dying daffodils. There was a large scene of the garden with the fountain in the center that he had seen before. He turned the page once more.

"Oh, this one is interesting!" he taunted, finding one a picture done of him. May became even more frantic. Steven sighed and gave her book back. Her face was burning red. He actually felt kind of bad for taking it. "Sorry, it looked like you were handing it to me."

You could almost see the steam coming out of her ears. "You asshole! I can't believe you would do that! I-"

"I'm actually really flattered," said Steven.

She stopped in her tracks, taken aback by the statement. Some of the redness drained from her face. She got very close to him, so close their bodies were almost touching, stood on her toes and tilted her head up so their faces almost met. "Fuck you," she whispered.

Steven burst out laughing. May was still angry with him, but couldn't help but crack a little smile.

When he finally regained his composure, he said, "Are you ready to go? I was thinking about getting out early and going for breakfast this morning."

May was wearing a silver blouse that could only be described as a halter that didn't go all the way to her waist and dark blue form fitting skinny jeans, so she looked ready, save for her shoes.

She shrugged and, sure enough, said, "Yeah, I just have to grab my boots." But then she continued with, "Promise you won't make a scene like last time."

"Okay, first of all I wasn't making a scene, I was _avoiding_ one," Steven defended. "Second of all, you chose the low road already, so I won't try to save you in this instance."

"In this instance?" she asked, intrigued.

"Yes," he said simply, putting his arms through the sleeves of the navy suit jacket. "Unless something bad comes up, then I will and I won't blame you for walking away."

She laughed. "So dramatic. No wonder you're in a play, which you have yet to tell me about." She raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah, speaking of the play..." Steven pulled his mouth sideways. "I don't think you should go."

"Ha!" she scoffed. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"You're not even eighteen. Speaking of, how did you even get into the college at seventeen anyway?"

"Don't you try to change the subject on me," she scolded. "And why do I have to be eighteen?"

"You have to- I mean- this is a showing for people of the college ONLY and they're all adults!" Steven stumbled over his words.

"Well, good thing I have a fake ID now, huh?" May sassed.

Steven swore. He should've thought this through better. "You'd better go get your shoes on or we won't have time for breakfast."

"You're not the boss of me," she said, putting her hands on her hips defiantly.

He gave her a look. "I just want a chocolate croissant."

She made an angry noise. "Fine! But there's nothing you can do to keep me from going to your play!"

_We'll see about that one._

The days were getting colder and colder, so Steven and May huddled for warmth, May's arm in his. Steven's heart fluttered. This was what he'd always wanted and he didn't even have to try for it. Their hearts just wanted to be together.

"Last chance," he whispered, looking into through the semi-foggy glass door at the three girls from the other day.

May snapped out of what looked like deep thought and looked up at Steven. She looked through the window and realized what he was talking about, then squeezed his arm tighter, making her choice.

Steven gulped. He really shouldn't have been letting her do this, but he couldn't control her he couldn't keep himself away from her. He'd just have to try to protect her as best as he could.

He pushed the door open with her free hand and the two squeezed in side by side.

The auburn haired one noticed them first and her face turned from happily joking around with her friends to disgust. She clucked her tongue. "Oh, May. May, May, May." She shook her head slowly. "When you said you were waiting for your boyfriend, I thought you had a good, honest guy. Not the scum of the earth."

"Morning Felicity. Eve, Poma," Steven said, then nodded at the other two.

"Say what you'd like, it doesn't change a thing," May spat. She didn't say anything about Steven not being her boyfriend, which surprised him a bit.

"No need to get defensive. Poor thing, you don't even know."

Steven clenched his jaw.

"I know well enough that you're all annoying bitches that can't leave Steven alone for one second when all he's trying to do is get some breakfast."

"We have our reasons," Poma snarled.

"Do I look like I give a single fuck about your reasons?" she returned the snarl.

Steven was, to say the least, quite surprised at the sharpness of May's tongue.

"I'm disappointed in you, May," said Felicity in a sadness that was clearly feigned. "You had so much potential."

"That's more than I could say about you. Now get out of here, you vultures. He's not dead yet."

Eve and Poma looked taken aback that someone would dare speak to them that way, but Felicity's gaze remained stony.

"Just watch your back. He'll screw you over just like everyone else," Felicity enunciated 'everyone' with a sickening venom, but May didn't let it phase her. They took their food and left.

Steven took a deep breath and stepped up to the counter.

"You're bad for business, Steven," said the middle-aged woman at the counter, twirling one tiny black curl in one finger.

"I know, Margaret, I'm sorry. Just take out a hundred from my tab, okay?" Steven said sadly.

"If you say so. What can I get you?"

"Give me a large black coffee, a chocolate croissant, and..." Steven trailed off, waiting for May to say with what she wanted.

"A strawberry tart and a hot chai with cream and honey," May finished.

"Alright, give me a moment." The woman grabbed her prongs and got to work.

"Really though," May changed the subject, "what did you do to those girls?"

"Victims of last years stock crash, poor things." Steven shook his head. "It was nothing I did personally. Stocks crashed last year and those are the daughters of some of the employees of Devon that were laid off," he explained. "Although I also fired Poma's sister from working as my maid for stealing and called Eve a cheap stripper the other day, so that might be helping."

"Okay, those things are justified, but what did you call her a cheap stripper for?" May scolded.

"I was sort of intoxicated at the time, she was being her normal mean self, and I was just stating the truth. You probably saw her at Chinch-U the other night."

She furrowed her brow. "That's still not nice."

Steven raised his shoulders and narrowed his eyes. "You just called them annoying bitch vultures."

"But they are!" May defended.

"Well, Eve really is a cheap stripper. I rest my case." Steven handed May her tea and pink paper bag, then took his own.

After hours of grueling business classes, lunch finally rolled around. Steven made the call, the call that he'd been ever so impatiently waiting for all day, to May to find out if she wanted to meet him somewhere to walk to lunch, but May only told him that he'd meet him in the cafe.

He shrugged to himself and slipped the Pokenav in his pocket, beginning his stroll to the cafe. Maybe she'd found a map or her class was close to the cafe. Maybe she asked for directions or maybe she'd just gotten used to the inner workings of the school.

Steven played out the different scenarios in his head, breathing in the cool, fresh air and dodging spitballs as well as he could.

The smell from the cafe awoke him from his daydreams. Hot pumpkin soup, he recognized it as. He was definitely having that.

Candy and Jeff were chatting idly away at the table, but there was no sign of Jessica or May.

He slid into a seat next to Candy. They immediately switched their conversation from one that he could only guess was about their relationship to the subject of the play.

"I really hope we don't lose any more side-characters. We can't afford to," Candy said with an almost flawless switch.

Steven saw his opportunity and took it. "Yeah, that's what I've been meaning to ask about-"

"Oh yeah, your understudy just quit, Steven."

He swore. "Candy, I can't do this part."

She laughed just a little too loudly with a glint in her eye that sent shivers down Steven's spine. "You're the lead. You can't just quit. It would ruin the entire show."

"Yeah man, that's not cool. We put off this show once already and there's no way that now that all relearned our parts we can stop now," Jeff added.

Steven clenched his teeth and looked around to make sure May wasn't around. "Then I don't want May to go."

"Aha!" Candy stood suddenly and pointed in Steven's face. "That's why you were half-assed at practice yesterday! You don't want May to see you!"

"You're right, I don't." He couldn't deny it and didn't want to.

"Well you don't really have a choice in the matter."

Steven raised his eyebrows. "I don't, do I?"

"No. May can do what she wants and don't ask because I won't try to talk her out of it." She went around the table and put her arms on Steven's shoulders, looking up and into his eyes with her brown doe ones. "This isn't for you, Steven. We have to finish it. For Jacque."

Steven looked away. He knew she was right. "Okay, fine. You win, Candy."

"THAT is My Lady Director to you!" She corrected and grinned, patting him on the back once.

Steven returned the smile, but still felt a bit uneasy. "You win, My Lady Director," he sighed.

"Hey, what's going on?" Jessica said, taking a seat next to Steven.

"Sorry we're late," May apologized.

"Actually, she's sorry. I'm not," Jessica corrected.

May gave her a look which she returned with a shrug. May shook her head and resumed with an explanation, "Jessica was showing me some cool stuff. We have Immunology together."

"You never told me May was a Pokemon Physiology major too!" Jessica scolded.

"Well, it never really came up," came out of Steven's mouth before he'd realized what he'd said. Jessica glared at him, but thankfully didn't punch him.

They all finally sat down when Katherine, Pizza Jim's daughter came storming over with a large package that Steven recognized as the one filled with money that he left in the shop a few days before.

"What is this?" she demanded, piercing with her icy blue eyes. They deeply contrasted with her rich, flawless, mocha skin. She had grown to look so much like her mother.

"It looks like a package." He decided playing dumb was his best bet.

She set her jaw. "Don't you act like you weren't the one that put this in the mail slot. We don't need your stupid money," she seethed.

"Someone put money in your mail slot? Why would they do that?"

"Shut up and just take it back!" She shoved it into his arms.

"Well, I could take it, but I wouldn't be taking it back because I wasn't the one that gave it to you."

You could almost see the steam coming out of her ears. "Will you just take it already?"

"So you're trying to get me to take free money? Gee, Katherine. I kinda thought you hated me."

"I do hate you!" she snapped and snatched it back. "Fine, but it's your loss!" Katherine turned and angrily stomped away.

Steven blew out a huge gust of wind out and took his seat again, staring down into a beautiful leaf ornamented bowl. It was filled almost to the brim with steaming pumpkin soup with a large dollop of cream in the center and decorated with cinnamon and nutmeg.

"I ordered you all the soup since you were taking too long," Jeff said. "I hope you don't mind," he added.

Steven smiled. "This was actually what I was going to order anyway."

The others didn't look too happy about it, but it didn't much look like anyone was getting their way today.

Steven was home late again. This time when he found May on the couch, she wasn't asleep but scribbling away at her notebook.

She turned to look at him. "Steven! Stop what you're doing right now and just stand still!" she said suddenly.

He stopped in his tracks.

"Put one hand on your hip and your thumb in your belt loop," she commanded. Steven thought this was a strange request, but he did it nonetheless.

"Now slouch a bit."

He did so and waited. She put her hands in front of her face and moved them in different ways, as if measuring him. "Okay, you can relax." Steven put his arm down and jumped over the back of the couch to sit next to May. He smoothly crossed his legs and put his arm on the top of the couch behind her so it wasn't quite around her, but it was close. "How was practice?" she asked.

"Not bad. In fact, you could say that after today I'm certain that I'm going to do my best in the play," Steven said and smiled wide. For Jacque.

"Well, great!" May returned the smile.

"Say, I have a question," he said, nonchalantly shifting closer and pulling his arm in tighter so that it just lightly touched her back. The way her big eyes glinted in the low golden light put off by the gorgeous blown glass lamp made his heart pull at his chest.

May didn't notice this, or if she did, she didn't react. "I may or may not have an answer."

"Why was I posing just now?"

"I'm drawing you."

Steven was a bit taken aback. "I thought you didn't want me to see your drawings."

She chuckled softly. "You've already seen them. Cat's out of the bag. I don't care if you see what I'm drawing anymore."

"Well, that's awesome. I love your drawing style, it's beautiful." He looked at the book. "Just like you," he added, this time quieter.

May flushed red and opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out but barely audible stuttering like she was trying to find words but couldn't.

Steven shook his head. "I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable. I'll just-"

"No, no!" she protested. "No, I mean. You don't have to go, I mean, I'd like you to stay..."

In that moment, Steven got a burst of courage like none other in his lifetime. He met his lips with hers and fireworks erupted inside of him. Fireworks and butterflies, rainbows and battle cannons, maybe a little bit of undigested pumpkin soup, lasers and adrenaline all coming at him at once and exploding together in magnificent, glorious harmony. And as he pulled away, it all left just as suddenly and brilliantly as it came. Steven looked in Mays eyes. She was smiling wider than he'd ever seen a person smile. And in turn this made him smile, and her happiness seeped into him and warmed him like a low burning fire. In that moment he knew that he wanted her to smile at him like that forever and if she did that there would be no one alive happier than he.


	15. Dead

Dang, guys, fifteen chapters! It's been a long time coming. I really did not expect this to last this long, but I'm really having lots of fun with it and I hope to continue!

If you guys listen to music constantly (like I do) then you might want some music to listen to this to! Well, look no further for the great Flurp will help you out. I like to listen to Swedish House Mafia (not Don't You Worry Child, that's their worst song, things like Greyhound and One), Big Data (anything but Stroke of Return), Nothing More, Panic! at the Disco (Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! is my favorite for writing), Korn, and other stuff too.

I'd like to thank **lightxhope2124, Sakura Touko, and Reinaa-chan **for all reviewing. Please take the time to review yourself! It helps a lot.

Love you guys, enjoy a chappy not from Steven's POV!

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><p>Chapter 15: Dead<p>

On Friday, May awoke early in the morning. She'd always been an early riser, one of the many reasons that Brendan called her weird, but she always came up with some sort of witty remark that turned the tables back to him.

Oh, Brendan. She still felt so bad that she wasn't able to give him a proper good-bye the other day, but she just got so caught up with Steven that she forgot all about him. Imagine that, getting too busy for her best friend and former boyfriend.

She sighed. What was she going to do with these boys? A little thought nagged at her, but she pushed it away.

May found a little baby blue sleeveless button-up and black jean shorts and paired them with . They weren't anything that Steven had bought her, but he was going to have to live. Being in her own clothes made her feel less homesick and more like herself which was something that she hadn't felt like in a long time. Sure, she loved Steven, but it wasn't really a life she was quite used to yet.

She took her clothes to the bathroom and draped them over the towel rack, then proceeded to fill the gold-rimmed claw foot bathtub. There was a small porthole-like window carved into the peach walls over the bath that she presumed looked out to the garden.

She dipped a little foot into the water filled with rose (a common theme in this part of the house) oil and sank into it.

A thought that had been bothering her lately. Who was Jacque really? There was no way she was going to ask again in front of everyone but... her curiosity was peaked. She knew that he was friends with Steven and the others. But where was he now?

Then there was the problem with that missing stripper. Were they somehow related?

She dipped her head under the water.

After a lecture from Mrs. Tuffette the adorable chef, Steven and May left the house. May didn't really mind it. She actually kind of liked her whereas it seemed Steven only begrudgingly tolerated her.

This time they weren't headed for breakfast, but straight to the school. The lecture had made them a bit more than usually late. Steven was quieter than usual, as if in deep thought, but May had a question on her mind that she just couldn't wait for. Questions, questions. That's all she seemed to have these days. "So you're on the blacklist at the school. Why do all those guys hang out with you then?"

He cracked a slight smile. "We've been friends since we were little."

"But how are they safe?"

"Well, for starters, Jeff's dad is one of my lead scientists, Dr. Paisley. He'll always have a good word in at Devon because of that, so no matter how much people try to screw with his life he won't have much trouble getting a job. Devon's one of the biggest companies in the world. If we say he's okay, he's okay. Candy's the same way. Both of her parents are lawyers working in Devon's legal division. Jessica's mom doesn't work for me, but she is the most terrifying woman I have ever met in my life, Jessica being the second most. Nobody would dare touch her."

It wasn't until then that May realized just how big Devon was. "That's a lot of power for one company to have," she said uncertainly.

Steven shook his head. "Too much. But at least I can protect the ones I care about, you know?"

May nodded, but she still wasn't convinced it was a good thing.

"Jessica," May called.

The tall, black haired girl looked up from what she was doing. She shone her bright blue eyes into May. "Yeah, what?"

"Come look at my Wurmple," she said with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty.

She set down her tray under a microscope and went over to her. "The fuck did you do?" she laughed.

In front of them was a green Wurmple trying to escape from its container.

"I don't even know," May giggled.

"It's okay, we'll just switch him out before Mr. Brown notices," Jessica said and opened the plastic box.

"No, wait," May stopped her. "We have the technology. We can rebuild him."

The two burst into laughter. _Maybe now_, May thought. _Maybe if I just ask one of them alone what happened to Jacque, I'll get an answer._

"Jessica... I have to know," she said. "I have to know what happened to Jacque."

Jessica immediately clenched her jaw. Her eyes widened and she looked down at the table, clutching the pendant on her necklace tightly. She swallowed. "Jacque is dead," she said. "He was assassinated."

Duskstone peeked through the manhole. As usual, nobody was in the dark, narrow alley. He slipped silently through the shadows.

The music hit him all at once as he came in, full and loud. He was earlier than he usually arrived, mostly because he was told to be.

"Duskstone," he heard the low rumble of one of the floor strippers. Duskstone turned to face him. "You're needed in the dressing room."

He took a deep breath. Normally he didn't let anyone touch him ever, not even other strippers (most of whom were actually some of the nicest, most solid guys he'd ever met). He nodded and gestured for the man to lead on.

The hall looked grungy, like it hadn't been cleaned in awhile. At the end of it was a door. The man opened it and Duskstone entered a large room filled with mirrors and clothing racks and rushing good-looking people.

Amongst them, he found his boss speaking with a man in a mask with white-blue hair sticking out of it. As he got closer to them, he found that it was a very ornate, expensive looking mask with many roses carved into it. If that didn't tell you that he was from money, his all black, perfectly tailored, unblemished suit would. This must have been one of the ones that bribed his boss.

"Ah, here comes our star! Duskstone, I'd like you to meet one of our eh, VIPs, Mr. eh...?"

"It's unimportant," the man said. "It's good to finally meet you, Duskstone." He put out his hand.

That voice. Its charismatic purr, like a happy cat. His height, his gait. It couldn't be. There was no way it could've been...

"It's really great having you here," his boss said to the man. "Since none of the guys can speak sign language, this guy's gonna translate for us! Isn't that great?"

Duskstone could tell his boss was really milking this whole bribery thing, but Duskstone wasn't buying it. He did not think it was great and did not want to spend another second here.

"Well thank you, Mr. Crawley, that's very kind. I wonder if you could give us a minute?"

"Oh, sure, sure! Just don't get anywhere too close to his face. He doesn't like that. Ciao!" he grinned, waving and walking away.

Duskstone clenched his jaw.  
>A high-voiced man tapped him on the shoulder and said, "We know you don't liked to be touched, so here are your clothes," and put them in his arms. "If you need any help, just ask," he added.<p>

Duskstone signed a thanks and looked through them. _Dear Arceus, _he thought.

"So Duskstone," said the masked man. He turned to face him. "When Mr. Crawley said that you can't speak, is it that you can't or won't?"

Duskstone didn't reply. He just simply began clipping the suspenders to his pants.

"Oh, come now. You needn't be so harsh when talking to an old friend."

He snapped to attention. So this man really was who he thought he was.

_Why? _he signed.

_That doesn't concern you right now, _the man signed back. _I just needed to-_

"Duskstone, we're on, let's go," said the man who brought him in, placing a leather police hat on his head.

_Just a minute, _he signed.

"He says he'll only be a moment," the masked man told him. _Just know this, you need to be careful-_

"We have to go _now,_" he commanded.

Duskstone gave him a thumbs up and the man left the room rolling his eyes and mumbling something about polemen. He turned back to the masked figure and signed a quick _thank you, we'll talk later_ and ran out the door, only to be grappled by a huge man whom he couldn't see.

A bag was pulled over him. He squirmed, but he couldn't get out. He opened his mouth to scream, but took a hit to the head with a blunt object before he could.

Duskstone blacked out.


	16. Not Your Average Play

Okay, guys. I am so pumped for this. So, so pumped. You'll have to tell me in a review or PM at what point you realized what play it was going to be. Squee! I love it. I just love it! I am so glad I decided to do this!

I was going to write the part where Steven and May went out to dinner but I didn't have enough material to make it so I just sort of mentioned it.

Thanks to **Sakura Touko **for reviewing as always! You're the bomb and I love you! Don't forget to review yourselves, everyone else!

Now, without further ado, may I present the chapter that you've all (okay, maybe just me) been waiting for, number sixteen!

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><p>Chapter16: Not Your Average Play<p>

At eight o'clock on Saturday night after a long day of convincing himself that it didn't matter if May saw the play or not, something clicked in Steven's mind, like a flipped switch. As he stepped out of the shower and grabbed his towel, all troubles left him, not leaving behind a single fuck to give about whether or not May saw the play or not.

He was feeling pretty confident in his relationship with her after last night when he took her on a date in one of the very few restaurants that was actually _in _Rustboro Hills as opposed to in town. Normally that restaurant was booked at least six months in advance, but Steven knew how to pull strings with those sorts of people, and they got in. It was lovely save for the brief run-in with his old drug dealer, but thankfully that went smoothly.

Tonight would be a very different sort of outing indeed.

He looked himself in the mirror and got a familiar deja vu sort of feeling. _Just like old times_, he thought.

He'd just received a letter earlier that day from one of his father's secretaries (since his father couldn't be bothered to write a two-paragraph letter to his only son) regarding his return. It apologized briefly then got straight down to business. It said that his father would not be returning tomorrow as something had come up in Mossdeep so Steven had to play President for the regular Sunday brunch. _Oh, joyous days, _Steven had thought.

But he didn't let that worry him now. He wouldn't let anything stand in his way.

"For Jacque," he whispered. _For our Riff Raff._

He put on his only clean t-shirt (he only owned two) and sweats and went down the stairs to meet May. She was sketching on the couch covered in a quilt, a state Steven often found her in.

"I'm heading out," he told her.

"What? Already?" she said, turning to face him. "But the show doesn't start until midnight!"

"There are always last-minute things we need to patch up and I need to get ready," he said simply.

She looked him up and down and pouted. "Now I'm sad. I was really hoping to see your costume before you went on. It might've given me a clue to what play it was. It's been eating me away, you know."

He grinned maliciously. "But where would be the fun in that?"

She sighed. "Your idea of fun is a lot different than mine."

"Well then tomorrow we'll do what you want to do."

"I like to rollerblade," she said.

Steven shrugged. "Eh, I'm more of an ice skating sort of a guy, but I'm sure they won't be all that different. Tomorrow after the meeting, then."

"That's right, the meeting! Are you sure you're gonna be okay with that?"

"Yeah, it's fine. It's gonna be my job someday so I might as well start learning how to do this crap."

May scrunched up her face and changed the subject. "Am I going with you now?"

"Nah. When you're ready, just tell Martinov. He'll take you over there and you can find your seat which the guys all insisted was reserved for you in the front ro. I figure it's probably not safe for you to be walking around so late at night, even in the Hills."

"That's sweet, but I can take care of myself," she said matter-of-factly.

Steven looked her up and down for effect and raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, shut up," she said and smiled.

"Will you please let Martinov take you over there?" he said a little softer.

She groaned. "Alright, fine. Arceus, you're such a worry-wart."

Steven grinned and kissed her on the forehead. "See you," he said.

"I'll see you before you see me, I'm sure."

He stopped halfway down the stairs. "May," he called.

"Yeah?"

"For the love of Arceus, don't let them paint a red V on your face."

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><p>Steven cracked his neck and reapplied the red to his lips. As expected, there were costuming mishaps and missing props that took almost the whole extra time to fix. He had to do makeup (which, if he did say so himself, he did pretty spot-on), run down to the store (in heels no less), and calm Candy's pre-show director AND actress worries. He was feeling pretty good about himself.<p>

He stepped away from the mirror and posed to make sure he looked alright. The nerves weren't even getting to him.

"Looking good!" Jessica commented from behind him.

He turned on his heel, struck a different pose, and pointed and snapped in her direction. "Why thank you, darling."

She laughed and shook her head. "You're already getting into it, are you?"

"Just warming up," he said and applied a bit more blush in the mirror.

He heard Candy's voice from behind the curtain talking to someone. "This is gonna be a great show!" she squealed. "You're gonna love Steven. When he does this sort of thing he just goes into sort of a trance-like state and totally just _becomes_ the character."

It was probably May. He didn't let it get to him.

"You see, our particular version of the show is much better than your average one because we don't lip sync. We actually sing."

The lights flickered, signalling the five minute mark before the beginning of the show.

"Ooh, gotta go!" he heard her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked Jessica sincerely.

She sighed. "A little nervous, a little... reminiscent, if you know what I mean."

Steven nodded. "But hey, don't get yourself too down before the beginning, alright Magenta? You might throw me off." Steven smiled slyly.

Jessica shook her head, but couldn't keep from smiling herself. "If you didn't have to go out there and perform I'd punch you. We'll just call it an IOU."

"Looking forward to it."

"You get so damn cocky when you perform I swear someone should-"

"Hellooooo Rustboro Hills!" he heard Candy say into the mic onstage, cutting Jessica off.

"How about someone can when we're finished with this thing, eh? The pre-show is starting."

"Yeah, I can hear that, dumbass. Just you wait," she narrowed her eyes and grabbed the pearls around his neck.

"Oh, I shiver with antici-" he took a long pause for effect. Jessica looked murderous. "-pation."

She clenched her jaw. Steven decided it was best to take his leave before he actually did end up dead, or at least within inches of his life like he'd seen happen to others who crossed Jessica so many times before.

The time between then and when Steven's first song was about to come on passed much faster than anticipated. He climbed the ladder to the elevator with a little difficulty in the heels, but he made it just fine. Soon he was lowered slowly down on the stage. He tapped his foot to the music.

"I'm here. There's nothing to worry about," said the guy that played Brad.

He turned. Janet screamed.

He smiled smugly. "How do you do I- see you've met my- faithful... handyman."

"He's just a... little brought down because- when you knocked- he thought you were the... Candyman."

Steven waltzed down the aisle, singing all the way.

The crowd cheered as he threw off his cape. "I'm just a sweet transvestite from," he girated, "Transsexual Transylvania, ha ha."

All through the night he played flawlessly, thinking, moving, feeling exactly as he knew Frank would. He heard the audience's screams as he killed Eddie who was played by Jeff, their anguished noises as they felt for Columbia who was played by Candy, and their singing along and added words. He thrived in it. He felt so... alive.

A tiny twinge of pain wracked his heart for a moment when he sat in his throne with Jessica and Candy beside him and a stranger playing Riff Raff, but he knew there was nothing to be done with it now. Nothing up to him, anyways.

The musical went flawlessly for the little time they had to relearn their parts. He guessed they all just had it in their hearts that this wasn't just for them.

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><p>Steven went out to greet the masses after the show, or at least the ones that wanted to talk to him which was actually a surprising number for the amount of people that treated him like a leper at the school. Maybe they didn't recognize him in all that makeup, he thought.<p>

"Steven!" he heard a familiar voice from the crowd yell.

He looked in its general direction. Tiny May was squeezing herself to the front of the group. "My, who is that?" he said in his Frank-N-Furter voice. He decided it was for the best to act the part. No one really wanted to meet him, after all. They wanted the sweet transvestite.

When May pushed herself to the front, Steven noticed that she was wearing the corset dress that he saw when he was first looking through May's wardrobe. "My, you look _ravishing, _darling."

"Candy tipped me off on what to wear," she said. "The Rocky Horror Picture Show? Really?"

"Oh, darling, can we please talk about this later?" he pleaded, still in his Frank voice while signing an autograph.

"You were fantastic!" squealed Candy, coming out of nowhere to hug him.

"Yeah," said May, sort of quietly.

"Oh, May," Candy turned on her Columbia voice to match Steven's in-characterness. "Wasn't he just a riot? We almost recast him as Rocky because he's shaped up so much, but no one else was so... qualified to play Frank!"

"Oh, stop it," Steven snickered a did a little kick and a pose, sending the crowd wild. "I'll only be a moment dear, if you'd like to wait," he told May.

She gave him a look that screamed both confusion and disbelief and made her way back through the crowd.

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><p>"What the fuck was that?"<p>

May and Steven made their way back home with only the light of the street lamps to guide them. Steven didn't have a coat, but he was so hot from the stage lights that he didn't care at all. He was back in his t-shirt and sweats but still had the makeup on, though it was pretty smeared from the pool scene.

"I told you you probably should've stayed home," he defended.

"No, I mean that was really, really fantastic."

Steven did a double-take.

"I cannot believe you did Frank, and that well on top of it! And damn, you have some lungs! I've only seen the film twice, but you, sir, did fabulously!" May's eyes glimmered.

Steven was shocked to say the least. "I... well, thank you. I mean... thanks." He just didn't know what to say to that.

"I didn't know you could sing like that!" she went on.

"Oh stop, please, you're making me blush," he said in his Frank voice.

May giggled. "That's the best. I am so glad I went." She linked her arm in his and held him close to her, resting her head on this arm.

Steven shrugged to himself. That certainly wasn't the storm he expected. What did that say about May then? Oh, who was he kidding. Like he had any right to talk. He was just Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the Rocky Horror Picture Show.


End file.
